Phytoliths in microfossil assemblages once more called to understand unknown functional analysis: The case of the Inka "celdas" at Northwestern Argentina

Abstract

When we started developing the method of multiple microfossil analysis (Coil et al, 2003) we had a difficult functional quiz to resolve: the circular and semicircular stone enclosures of local prehistory could have different uses along the time and when no artifacts were in surface nor in excavation we were uncertain about their purpose (Korstanje et al. 2014). In this opportunity, we take a similar challenge. We seek for the role of Inca architectural structures that are registered in distinct Northwest Argentina and circum Andean areas, informally called “celdas” (prison cells). They are quite different of kancha concept as a checkerboard regularized enclosure. They may be located to the side of Inca roads, associated with sites with different functionality as tampus, administrative sites or agricultural areas. The bibliography research indicates that similar small structures were built in other places of the Tawantinsuyu (De Hoyos and Williams 2016). This architectural pattern should have some role or specific purpose for the Inca State that remained unknown from the formal archaeological methods. Therefore, based on this problem, we sampled two different sites with “celdas” in Northwestern Argentina to analyze them under multiple microfossil methodology, with the aim of understand if there is a regular pattern of use and functionality or they may be also used for different purposes according to their geographical and political location in the imperial landscape. First results will be shown in this opportunity, understanding phytoliths and other microfossils in and from their archaeological and soil contexts.