Quebrada De Humahuaca Research Articles

Developing a collaborative research agenda for Quebrada de Humahuaca, Argentina

PurposeThis article presents a process of building a practice-driven research agenda for Quebrada de Humahuaca, a World Heritage cultural landscape in northern Argentina, developed under the framework of the Heritage Place Lab (2021–2022) led by the World Heritage Leadership Programme. The research agenda aims to improve the property's management and governance structures through an inclusive approach that considers the participation of all stakeholders and rights holders.Design/methodology/approachThrough collaborative work, a step-by-step methodology was employed that included identifying the property's values and attributes, the involvement of different actors in its management and their specific roles, and the factors that might cause real or potential impacts. The systematisation and analysis of this information served to define research priorities and a practice-driven research agenda.FindingsA range of conflicts and threats were identified, and the values and attributes that define the property were recognised. The collaborative process helped define research priorities and allowed the development of a preliminary research agenda, which, in the long term, can meet the needs of the property's World Heritage Management Unit.Originality/valueThe originality of this work lies in the collaborative work undertaken by the research and practice teams to define a new research agenda based on practical needs to improve the management and governance structures of the World Heritage property.

Análisis en clave de género de contextos mortuorios en una capital incaica del Collasuyu (Tilcara, Argentina)

From a gender perspective and through contextual and bioarchaeological studies of women found in the Pucará de Tilcara, Quebrada de Humahuaca, we propose to analyze and determine differences in social status and funerary practices. The Pucará de Tilcara has a vast collection of human skeletal remains, so far consisting of 227, mostly male, individuals. We analyzed the archaeological contexts of recent systematic excavations and established the sets of remains found in collections, by examining the entry numbers of the museum catalogs. We also estimated sex, age, and signs of the presence of artificial skull deformation. In relation to mortuary practices that can provide information on social divisions between women and men, as we deepened the bioanthropological and archaeological studies of the samples, we understood that there are no marked differences in terms of biological sex or exclusivity in the demarcation of gender. The differences detected in the various types of mortuary treatment occur in both female and male contexts. This first characterization of the type of mortuary treatment once again reflects on the manifestations of gender identity in pre-Hispanic Andean societies. In conclusion, the evidence shows that there was a wide range of forms of positioning within society, both in life and during death, in which pre-Hispanic gender expressions did not occur as it was considered for centuries, that is, as a consequence of a Western imposition.

Mote: An ancient recipe in Andean kitchens. Ethnoarchaeological and taphonomic analysis

Mote is a traditional Andean recipe that can be traced back to pre-Hispanic kitchens. This culinary practice consists of boiling maize grains that were previously dried and peeled with lime or plant ashes. This dish has been part of the dietary staple of people through time. This paper aims to identify vegetal macro and micro remains and the culinary equipment used during mote preparation, to generate indicators for reconstructing past cooking practices. Ethnobotanical, ethnographic, and archaeological methodologies were used to recreate mote recipes following traditional knowledge from Quebrada de Humahuaca. Kernels and starch grains were analyzed to register their transformation through the different stages of the recipe. Functional studies were conducted on ceramic vessels, considering morphometric and performance criteria, as well as use-alteration analysis. As a result, we created a reference collection of modified starch grains and caryopsis fragments, and general processing residues. In addition, ceramic studies allowed recognizing vessels that, due to their physical characteristics and use-alteration traces, could have been used in different stages of mote preparation.

Andean pre-Hispanic pottery forming 3D analysis: a pilot study from Quebrada de Humahuaca (Argentina) using digital methods

Digitization, three-dimensional (3D) documentation and visualization of archaeological materials are processes in increasing development that are used for the enhancement of heritage. These tools have multiple uses for the analysis and research of archaeological objects, although their use in pottery forming techniques studies is less explored. In this paper, diverse digital methods are explored in the study of pottery forming macro-traces, using the 3D model of an archaeological vessel from South-Central Andes. This case is proposed as a pilot study, aiming to reveal the potential of digital techniques for understanding pottery forming techniques. The particular case analysed corresponds to a globular pot of the Humahuaca Black-on-Red style, recovered at the Pucara de Volcán archaeological site, in Quebrada de Humahuaca (Jujuy, Argentina). Initial studies of macro-traces on the pot suggested the use of paddling as the forming technique. The workflow used to contrast this hypothesis included the generation of a 3D model by close-range photogrammetry; and the analysis of the resulting point-cloud and mesh using Morphological Residue Model (MRM) and Virtual Reflectance Transformation Imaging Visualization (V-RTI), with diverse open-source software packages, such as AliceVision Metashape and CloudCompare. These methods increased the micro-topography visibility of the pot surface. As a result, the presence of sub-circular depressions in the body of the pot -similar to percussion cupules-, horizontal pressure lines in the collar, and micro-pull-outs in the maximal diameter of the pot were described. These macro-traces were interpreted as corresponding to the paddling technique used for the elaboration of the pot body —a technique not previously identified in pre-Hispanic traditional pottery manufacturing in the north of Argentina—, and of coiling for manufacturing the collar. The digital methods explored have great potential in the study of pottery forming techniques, although their scope depends on the accuracy of the 3D model analysed.

Planes, trayectos y apropiación cultural sobre el ferrocarril S.S. Jujuy-La Quiaca. Pensando la valorización del patrimonio ferroviario en la Quebrada de Humahuaca, Argentina

The railway that crossed a large part of the Quebrada de Humahuaca in north‑western Argentina and linked the city of San Salvador de Jujuy with La Quiaca in Bolivia was included a few years ago in the so‑called “Plan Belgrano” for regional integration and development for its rehabilitation and restoration to service. The railroad was the backbone of the region for almost the entire 20th century, forging identities and traditions that still prevail in the memory of the settlers. Dismantled in the 1990s, it has public interest as railway heritage with‑ in the valuable cultural landscape of the Quebrada, declared a World Heritage Site. Considering the advances in the discussions on the sustainable preservation of the heritage, and after surveying the present condition of the railway, this article analyses the State interventions on the branch and the appropriation processes to which it is subject in order to produce its rehabilitation

Minería y metalurgia prehispánica en el Noroeste Argentino

This paper synthetizes what we know so far about pre-Columbian mining and metallurgical activities, during pre-Inka and Inka times, in the present-day territory of Jujuy province (Argentina). To do so, we analyze the extractive and productive contexts that we and other scholars have studied in the three eco-regions of the province, in order to identify the direct and indirect evidences of mining, smelting and manufacture of metal objects. Based on the results, we state that despite the availability of metalliferous minerals in the province, the pre-Columbian mining activities have not reached a large scale, neither in extent nor in intensity, and they would have been carried out mainly in the Puna and in an area of the Sierras subandinas. There is evidence of metallurgical production in the Puna as well as in the Cordillera Oriental, especially in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, which dates from pre-inka Late period (second millennium AD) and Inka times and shows the use of gold, silver, copper, tin and their alloys, and the consumption of metallic artefacts in diverse contexts. The Inka conquest would have generated certain modifications in the organization and access of raw materials, but not in the production techniques.

Cranial Traumas in a Sample from the Pucará de Tilcara Fortress (Jujuy Province, Argentina)

We analyze injuries in the cranial sample from the Pucará de Tilcara fortress, dating to the time of the Inca conquest. Analysis of violence markers, carried out by visual examination and computed tomography, and the comparison of results with those relating to samples from the Regional Development Period of the Quebrada de Humahuaca valley, suggest that although the violence level remained high, its nature could have changed after the arrival of the Inca. The female sample reveals just two perimortal injuries, no trophy skulls were found, and the frequency of nasal bone fractures is higher than in earlier samples. This may indicate lower level of between-group fi ghting for control over resources, and higher risk of interpersonal violence. The observed pattern suggests that having arrived in the Quebrada de Humahuaca region, the Inca eased political tension by establishing control over trade routes and the distribution of arable land areas, which had previously been the main cause of local armed clashes. The infl uence of artifi cial cranial modifi cations on the pathological and traumatic status of individuals was also analyzed. Two types of modifi cation were recorded in the sample—fronto-occipital tabular oblique and fronto-occipital tabular straight. None of them caused pathological changes or a decrease in the thickness of cranial bones.

Guanaco hunting and Llama herding in the South-Central Andes (3000-900 BP): An osteomorphometrical approach

This paper aims to contribute to the study of the subsistence of human populations from the northern part of the Quebrada de Humahuaca (Northwestern Argentina –NWA-) between 3000 and 900 years BP, through the morphological and morphometric analysis of bone remains from large-sized camelids. The contribution of two complementary strategies -guanaco (Lama guanicoe) hunting and llama (Lama glama) herding- to the diet of those populations throughout the late Holocene is assessed. In order to achieve this, the first and second anterior and posterior phalanges are analyzed through both traditional morphometric (TM) and two-dimensional geometric morphometric (2D GMM) techniques. The sample is composed of 398 elements from 49 modern llamas and guanacos, and 36 elements from archaeological camelids recovered from the Antumpa, Cóndor II and Casas Grandes sites. We discuss the problem of the taxonomic identification of South American large-sized camelids with a novel methodology and we contribute relevant zooarchaeological information for a poorly studied geographical setting. Results indicate that llama herding prevailed throughout the late Holocene (4000-300 AP), although TM techniques showed a slight increase in guanaco hunting during the final late Holocene (1100-300 BP) and GMM showed a constant frequency of representation. The trends and variations thus identified would respond to both anthropic and local ecological factors.

New record of Late Cretaceous vertebrate tracks from the Yacoraite Formation (Juella, Quebrada de Humahuaca, northwestern Argentina): aerial drone survey, preservation and sedimentary context

The Yacoraite Formation is a worldwide known unit due to the diversity and abundance of vertebrate ichnological record. The complex tectono-sedimentary evolution related to the Andean Cycle generated high dip angles of bedding and, consequently, large tracksites are not easily accessible, making hard the ichnological analysis. Here, we describe a new tracksite named “La Banderita”, near Juella town (Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina), where abundant vertebrate and invertebrate trace fossils have been identified on different high slope surfaces. A small, portable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a digital camera was employed to overcome difficulties in studying traces. After the aerial survey, digital photogrammetry was applied to get 3D models of the trampled surfaces (about 7700 m2) and to obtain track distribution maps (more than 100 tracks). As a complement, a detailed 3D model of an easily accessible small area was also made (about 315 m2). Trace fossils were preserved within three facies intervals from subtidal/lower intertidal (Intervals I-II) to intertidal (Interval III) settings. In this last interval, quadrupedal (probably sauropod), bipedal (theropod) and undetermined tracks, differently preserved as undertracks, true tracks and natural casts, are identified. These three modes are product of narrow preservational windows, which have prevented weathering destruction process after original trampling. Ichnological and sedimentological data are coherent with those of other localities from the Yacoraite Formation, and suggest that dinosaurs moved along peritidal settings. This contribution highlights the use of aerial drone survey and 3D photogrammetric models, which besides traditional ichnological and sedimentological techniques, allowed a detailed reconstruction of track formation and preservation, contextualizing the trampled surfaces in their palaeoenvironmental setting.

Metodología para la construcción del Inventario de Recursos Paisajísticos en la Quebrada de Humahuaca (Argentina), Patrimonio Mundial

La sostenibilidad futura del paisaje es un tema pendiente en las agendas latinoamericanas e involucra un proceso de gestión del territorio que se inicia con el conocimiento del mismo y finaliza con la propuesta de regulaciones para su protección u ordenamiento. En este contexto, el artículo muestra los avances de una investigación que propone, como herramienta clave, la elaboración de un inventario de recursos paisajísticos para la región de la Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina. Se expone como resultado una metodología –originada en la necesidad de reconocimiento, valoración y protección del paisaje– que comprende la recopilación y evaluación de la información, así como el registro de los recursos paisajísticos y su georreferenciación.

FATTY ACID COMPOSITION AND MICROSTRUCTURE OF RIPENED GOAT CHEESE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in the fatty acid composition and microstructure of goat cheeses during 80 days of ripening. Creole goat milk from the Quebrada de Humahuaca was used to produce cheeses. Samples were taken 5 hours and 10, 20, 30, 40, 60 and 80 days after preparation. The composition of fatty acids for each period was determined by gas chromatography. The changes in the matrix cheese were observed using an electron microscopy. The medium-chain fatty acids and the unsaturated fatty acids decreased during the whole study but at two different velocities. They became established at the end of the ripening time, which is coincident with the decrease in fatty globule sizes: 2–4.6 µm at the beginning, 300 ηm at 30 days of ripening, and 140 ηm at the end of the maturation time studied.

A protocol for health assessment of cacti populations: A case study from Northwestern Argentina

Argentina is considered megadiverse for Cactaceae, and Jujuy province, with a high proportion of cacti endemism, is a critical region for their preservation. Cacti deterioration is mainly associated with habitat degradation, agricultural frontier advance, urbanization, illegal collection and trade. Of the three species of columnar cacti within Trichocereus genus that are present, Trichocereus atacamensis represents a valuable species for local communities. In the last decades, detrimental effects on T. atacamensis populations increased despite the reduction in the use of timber for construction or handicrafts. Knowledge on the health of cacti populations is fundamental for conservation and resource management, therefore the objective of the present study was to develop a health status classification criterion for cacti in Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy. A generic method was elaborated to assess the health of cacti populations to facilitate and speed-up the decision-making process for conservation purposes. The evaluation of factors involved in the deterioration is very complex. We designed a method considering aspects that the local residents identified as the most relevant: a) presence of air plant (genus Tillandsia), b) larvae of Cactoblastis bucyrus and c) signs of rot. Band transects were sampled in patches of T. atacamensis, surveying these aspects for each individual. A Multivariate Regression Tree analysis (MRT) was conducted. According to this clustering, an accessible assessment protocol with a 5-level health status was established to classify the cactus as optimal, suboptimal, compromised, vulnerable or critical. The general health status of the patches was highly variable. This MRT analysis is potentially applicable to any columnar cacti population and to establish the basis of a decision protocol for health status assessment. It is evident that the situation of T. atacamensis transcends as a local problem and exceeds the presence of pathogens suggesting a multifactorial causality that needs special attention.

Recurring damages on earthen heritage. Diagnosis and possible interventions in the highlands of Jujuy (Argentina)

A significant number of the existing National Historical Monuments in the highlands of northwestern Argentina are built with different earthen constructive techniques. These architecures, which correspond mostly to colonial and republican times, have presented damage of different severity over time, associated with both environmental and anthropic factors, including conservation actions. Since the first half of the twentieth century, different institutions carried out systematic conservation projects on this heritage using foreign techniques and materials, which instead of favoring their consolidation caused new damages. This paper sets out to recognize which are the usual damages in this architectural heritage, considering their mechanisms of degradation, and observing the implications of the interventions carried. Finally, based on the working experience in the area, the recommendations from different researches and international standards, it will be possible to recognize potential forms of intervention consistent with these technologies and with the corpus of local knowledge. This paper will focus in different case studies in the Puna and Quebrada de Humahuaca, based on field and laboratory research carried out in recent years, specifically focused on the study of current and historical earthen constructive technologies. As part of these researches, there were made various diagnoses and intervention proposals that will also be included in this article.

EARTHEN HERITAGE, CONSERVATION PRACTICES AND COMMODIFICATION IN A WORLD HERITAGE SITE (QUEBRADA DE HUMAHUACA, JUJUY, ARGENTINA)

Abstract. Contemporary reflections on the conception and conservation of architectural heritage have led to new perspectives on certain categories, such as authenticity, within a more dynamic understanding of social facts. Historically, local communities have rethought and transformed their architecture within the framework of becoming reality. This change is inherent in their condition of existence, and necessary to consider the multiplicity of institutionalized actors that raise agendas and actions that intersect in a complex way with the dynamics of World Heritage sites. This paper will analyze the implications of these processes through the study of earthen architecture in Quebrada de Humahuaca (Jujuy, Argentina). The site is at risk due to the exponential growth of tourism and the process of transformation in different dimensions of local realities. Transformations in vernacular architecture will be analyze considering three dimensions and intersections. On the one hand, changes in practices of local builders within their own dynamics; on the other, the conservation actions on the architecture that have formal declarations of protection; finally, commodification of vernacular architecture due to tourist activities. The approach of this paper will focus on technical aspects, within a conceptual framework as social facts, based on the survey and fieldwork carried out in recent years. This case study could act as a precedent for similar researches and would be useful for guidelines in global earthen heritage conservation projects.

Materiales arqueológicos de la Colección Schuel de Quebrada de Humahuaca (Jujuy, Argentina) en el National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian Institution)

El National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., EEUU) posee una importante colección arqueológica de la provincia de Jujuy que ha sido equivocadamente registrada como procedente de Calilegua. En este trabajo se argumenta que en realidad proviene de distintos sitios de la Quebrada de Humahuaca, donde fueron excavados por Karl Schuel entre 1920 y 1923. Entre otras pruebas, se presta especial atención a un inventario de las piezas recuperadas en el curso de sus excavaciones que el investigador austríaco mantuvo durante esos años, donde se reconocen algunos objetos de la colección del NMAI. Se establecen los probables sitios de origen de los materiales y se evalúa sucintamente su potencial para las investigaciones sobre la historia prehispánica tardía de la región (1000-1600 d.C.).

Spatial and temporal analysis of debris flow occurrence in three adjacent basins of the western margin of Grande River: Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina

ABSTRACTNumerous slides, rock falls and flows occur in the arid mountainous areas of northwestern Argentina. On 10 January 2017, torrential rain caused the acceleration of large-scale and slow-moving landslides mainly in the Los Filtros basin and it produces important damage in the Volcán village causing fatalities, dozens of evacuees and great economic losses, with the total destruction of buildings, services and infrastructure. However, in the two adjacent creek basins, the Coiruro basin to the north and Del Medio basin to the south, the effects were smaller. A morphometric analysis of these three adjacent basins was carried out in order to understand this catastrophic event and to explore its causes. The geological characteristics of the study basins are very favourable conditioning factors in landslide generation. Precambrian-age low grade metaclastics shatter in the frost climate of the higher mountains and poorly consolidated Quaternary deposits along the sides of the gully erode readily and become source material for landslides. Also, the area, shape, relief and slope of the basins would have been other key factors in the debris/mud flow generation in the Los Filtros creek basin. The Melton ratio number has been a key morphometric index to discriminate river basins susceptible to different types of flows. Finally, this study aims to increase knowledge of all the above-mentioned events in order to provide several methods of analysis for landslide prevention and control in adjacent basins whit different dynamics in the Central Andes.

Waste into rivers: a residual issue? The case of the UNESCO's site of the Quebrada De Humahuaca, NW Argentina.

The Quebrada de Humahuaca in North West Argentina is a world heritage site listed by the UNESCO since 2003. As pollution is increasing dramatically, a pluridisciplinary, annual-long survey was conducted along the valley to determine dominant patterns in waste management and water quality. Along with the habit of discarding waste into the river, urbanizations have been identified as having a deep influence on the river water quality: iron together with maximum peaks of nitrite and nitrate are related with the anthropogenic activity at Humahuaca, whereas the concentrations of arsenic increase from north to south, with maximum peaks of up to 13.50 and 14.50μgL-1 measured during the rainy season at Maimará and Volcán, respectively. In this underdeveloped region, economic struggles and waste management customs revealed as major factors causing the environmental degradation. The inclusion in the UNESCO's sites list was insufficient in preserving this world heritage site. The approach discussed in this article suggests a straightforward analytical measurement of the river hydrochemical properties during the rainy season in arid/semi-arid regions with monsoonal regime, to assess the effects of waste dumping along watercourses. In addition to scientific evaluations, both public acceptance and the establishment of proper waste management infrastructure are fundamental to ensuring the preservation of human and environmental health.

Les alternatives locales face à la mondialisation : réflexions évaluant la possibilité d’une archéologie durable et les contraintes éthiques professionnelles surgissant avec ce processus

Cet article analyse les conséquences éthiques pour l’archéologie et les archéologues induites par le processus de mondialisation capitaliste et l’intégration du patrimoine archéologique comme une ressource au sein de l’économie de marché. Nous effectuons une réflexion théorique sur la situation actuelle ainsi que sur les questions et repositionnements des différents acteurs dans ce processus à partir de notre participation au débat suscité autour de la déclaration de la Quebrada de Humahuaca (Jujuy, Argentine) comme Patrimoine de l’humanité en 2003. Finalement l’alternative d’une archéologie durable est ainsi évaluée comme une forme possible de transformation pour l’archéologie.

Turismo, gastronomía y producción agraria en la provincia de Jujuy (Argentina): actores, dinámicas y transformaciones asociadas a la valorización de productos tradicionales

El objetivo de este trabajo es poner en discusión la relación entre turismo, producción agraria, valorización de alimentos y desarrollo que se teje en los destinos turísticos. Para ello recuperamos perspectivas teóricas, en particular de la Geografía, que lejos de asumir tal relación como necesariamente virtuosa, nos permiten abordarla en su complejidad, teniendo en cuenta las redes de actores que se conforman y las relaciones que establecen sus participantes. Para poner en discusión estas cuestiones, nos remitimos a los cambios asociados a la valorización turística de alimentos y preparaciones culinarias tradicionales de la Quebrada de Humahuaca y Puna en el norte argentino. Recurrimos al diseño de una estrategia metodológica apoyada en entrevistas con los actores participantes (productores, empresarios turísticos, funcionarios públicos) complementada con información obtenida de la observación sistemática en los espacios de producción y consumo en el área de estudio. Los resultados de la investigación muestran que la valorización turística de alimentos (y de los lugares con que se asocian) es producto de un proceso social en el que ciertos actores, relaciones e intercambios tuvieron y tienen un rol central. También se señala que se trata de un proceso pensado por (y en cierta forma para) el consumo de sectores sociales específicos. En este sentido, se cuestionan las aspiraciones de generar un “desarrollo” automático para sectores mayoritarios de la población local a partir de la promoción y expansión del turismo (y específicamente del turismo gastronómico).

Sediment Supply and Hydrogeological Hazard in the Quebrada De Humahuaca (Province of Jujuy, Northwestern Argentina)—Rio Huasamayo and Tilcara Area

This paper describes the hydrogeological hazard in a reach of Quebrada de Humahuaca, (Upper Valley of Rio Grande de Jujuy, in the Argentine Andes), elected a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003. Along the Quebrada, the Rio Huasamayo, flowing into the Rio Grande, formed a large alluvial fan where the village of Tilcara was built. The final reach of Rio Huasamayo is an artificial channel, embanked by unconsolidated material removed from the riverbed. The village is located in an area at a lower elevation with respect to the riverbed, still in aggradation; so it is affected by an evident hydrogeological hazard. The main cause of the riverbed aggradation is the enormous sediment supply from the slopes of the Rio Huasamayo basin. The aim of the paper is to estimate the soil loss on the slopes and the consequent sediment supply to the main stream, identifying the areas of the basin mostly affected by erosion processes that cause the aggradation of the Rio Huasamayo riverbed. In this case, due to the lack of hydrometeorological stations (monitoring rainfalls, temperature, flow rates, etc.), soil loss and sediment supply to the main stream cannot be estimated through the application of commonly used models in the literature (e.g., USLE, RUSLE, USPED). Here the Gavrilovic method (EPM) was applied in combination with the data of the CORINE Project, allowing the estimation of the volume of material exiting from the catchment. So the main supplying areas (sub-basins of the Rio Huasamayo) can be identified where focused interventions for the control of solid transport could be realized, to mitigate the process of riverbed aggradation.