International Newsletter on Rock Art N28: 6-15.

2001

ROCK ART IN CENTRAL CHILE: FORMS AND STYLES Andrs Troncoso M. Fondecyt Projects N1970531 and 1000172 E-mail: phandres@usc.es I To approach the study of the rock art in an area with a complex cultural history implies to begin to define the chronological limits in which this archaeological expression is found and the association with the different populations that inhabited the area in the past. Crucial to this historical and cultural separation of rock art is the conceptualization of style, theoretical term that allows to outline the resemblances and differences of the art of a region. Although we all understand the meaning that lies beneath this term, there are various definitions of this concept as investigators related to the topic. These definitions and theoretical choices are directly related to the theoretical framework. Within this context, we have defined style as a group of norms determined by a system of knowledgepower, which defines a specific graphic inscription, the material concretion of such system. Materially, style would be expressed by: i) the generation of a series of motives that present some of these rules, it is a polysemic system (Clarke 1984), ii) some techniques of production of the motifs, iii) a certain definition of the supports used iv) a certain spatial localization and v) a certain articulation of motifs on the panel. There for, we seek to understand style as an extensive and ruled system, ruled because all rock art production is rooted into a bigger system, extensive because more than defining a strict normative, style allows a wide range for creation according to its resources. For hence, style is a set of rules that permits to build numerous designs, style is not just a group of rock art motifs. This idea can be compared with the discursive formation concept proposed by Foucault in his Archaeology of the Knowledge (1997[1970]). The discursive formation refers to a group of statements that within its dispersion presents a certain regularity (formal, enunciative, positional), that allows certain types of statements and a certain manner of enunciation. Beginning with this theoretical consideration we have studied the rock art of Putaendo valley, one of the main tributaries of the river Aconcagua, with the objective of defining the rock art styles present here. Our methodological perspective emerges from our definition of style. II The Putaendo valley is the principal hydrological unit of the northern sector of the macro region knows as central Chile. This valley has a north-southern orientation that allows an expeditious access towards another valleys and the oriental slope of Andes Mountain (Figure N1). The landscape of this area is characterized by the presence of three major units that define the configuration of the local space: i) the Putaendo river that irrigates the valley and allows agricultural activities, ii) extensive fluvial terraces, next to the river, where the agrarian work is performed, at the present time and, at least, during the final moments of the local prehistory (1.0001.536 a.C.) and iii) mountains arranged near to fluvial terraces that define the east a west borders of valley. These mountains embrace heights that fluctuate from the 600 and 1.000 m above the valley level. A fourth recognizable unit in the Putaendo valley is the existent piedmonts between the fluvial terraces and the mountains. This sector is characterized by the absence of agrarian soils and the presence of a great number of rocks used for the elaboration of the rock art during prehispanic times.

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III With regard to the methodology used in our study, which is directly related to our definition of style, the recording of rock art was carried out to recovery data about the disposition of rock art sites, the articulation of different motifs on the panel and the configuration of designs. For this last case, our main objective to be able to define the several rock art styles in Putaendo valley, we worked the anthropomorphic, zoomorphic and geometrical figures independently. For the first case, the information about the forms of animation of the figure, their posture and presence of gears was registered. A similar procedure was employed in the second case, although with some variations due to the presence zoomorphic figures. Finally, in the case of geometrical motifs we decided to describe them by the basic geometric units of construction (circle, square, triangle or another). After defined their minimum unit, their arrangement was described referring to the existence of interior decoration and its type (central point, lines, circles, etc.), the presence of appendixes and their type (lineal, to circulate). The description of the motifs was also carried out in way with the intentions of not losing sight of the material elements that is constituted it, in the tangible and observable expression of the system of knowledge-power. Finally, variables like the metric aspects, orientation, techniques of building and identification of overlapping and juxtapositions were registered in each motif. IV The archaeological research in Putaendo valley has permitted to identify a total of 27 stations of rock art in the upper and middle course of the river. Of this total, 18 were worked in a specific form, registering 375 figures, 332 of which correspond to geometric motifs, 42 to anthropomorphic figures and only one zoomorphic. The differential characteristics existing in some rock art figures, plus the presence of some important spatial associations, allow to propose the existence of three different styles of rock art of Putaendo, associate to the Late Intermediate Period (900 - 1.400 D.C.), Late Period o Inca (1.400 - 1.536 d.C.) and to the Early Historical Period (1.536 from now on), defined by the presence of the first Hispanic populations in the area. In spite of these differences, it is important to point out that the all rock art studied correspond to petrogliphs, without any evidence of paintings. V The first style of art defined for the area is assigned to the Late Intermediate Period (9001.400 D.C.) and we have called Style I or Rock Art from the Aconcagua River Style. The wide representation of geometric figures, a reduced frequency of human figures and the absence of zoomorphic figures would characterize this art, just as other authors have observed (Mostny and Niemeyer 1983). The basic figurative element, and that we believe characterizes this style, is the prevalence of the circular figure. Inside the geometric design, the circle is the basic element for the construction of the figures. However, this construction is governed by some norms of elaboration that are translated in a wide range of motives. The main characteristic of the construction of a figure is that it is never represented in a simple form, that is to say, only by a circle; by the contrary, its ornamental includes the possibility of using interior decorations and appendixes. The application of interior designs is either characterized by the application of diagonal and horizontal lines that are expressed materially in the creation of figures with bipartite or quadripartite decoration or grates, among others. Another ornamental variety of the circle is the creation of concentric circles, being these simple ones, with an inscribed circle, or compound, with more than one circle. Both varieties of the circle can present some kind of interior decoration, which can be a central dot or lines; however, this ornamental element is applied in the interior of the smallest circle, but never within the inscribed circles. The lineal appendixes also form part of this universe of ornamental elements that generate sun like and other figures, but they

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are not applied to the compound concentric circles (Figure N2). From the combination of the mentioned ornamental strategies, great part of the rock art representation of this style is generated. Another tool of motif construction is juxtaposition, constructing various figures such as groups of circles. On the other hand, overlapping is a technique that has not been recorded in this style of rock art. The amount of possible figures to build from the combination of all these elements is immense and is what explains the great variety of images that compose this style. These same construction techniques make this art seem like an ambiguous expression, where the conjunction of rules makes one element act as an only figure or as a component of a greater motive. Obviously, this ambiguity is the logical result of the epistemological incompatibility among the horizons of objectivity and subjectivity between the indigenous-author and the archaeologist-interpreter. The importance of the circle in this art is not only based on its almost exclusive representation in the geometric environment. The circle acts likes an element of construction of the human figure, it may be a logical representation of human head, but in this case, the circle does not just represent heads, but also the body and pelvis, all with some type of interior decoration. The square figure also has some representation in this style, especially trapezoids. We have found some trapezoids that have been used in the elaboration of the shield signs, which are circular or trapezoidal figures that present an interior decoration of applications of diagonal or horizontal lines . As we have seen before, the presence of some bipartite squares reflects the ambiguity of this rock art, because it is not clear if they are like the mentioned figure or if they correspond to two juxtaposed circles. With regard to the human figure, we believe that almost all anthropomorphic motifs are related at this style, because, in spite of their great diversity, many of them share important constructive elements and are spatially associated on the panels. We have been able distinguished al least three human figures, which reinforce the great decorative variety that characterizes this style The first type of human figure posses few schematic characteristics, lacking muscular attributes. It is drawn from the basic outline of the different parts of the body, keeping certain proportionality in their dimensions, except the superior extremities that are extremely longer than body. These extremities are always present, and in some cases the hands and feet are very clear, on the other hand, the minimum details of the body, as eyes, mouth, nose, etc., are not represented (Figure N2). The human figure is always portrayed frontward, almost always standing up and without animation. Nevertheless, for this type of animation, it is important the illustration of angles in arms and legs, which gives the idea of some type of action or expression. Headdresses and other ornamental attributes are presented in these figures. The second groups of anthropomorphous figures are more schematic than the previous category. Opposed to the previous case, the construction of these human representations is defined by the application of simple concentric circles as basic units from which the human figure is built. Although in the majority of the cases the circles are applied in the head, they are also present at the trunk and pelvis level. These circles generally present dots as interior decoration. As in the previous case, the animation among these figures is null, and the figure is upstanding. A third group of human figures is constituted by those anthropomorphous figures built by the use of linear elements. Niemeyer (1964) has denominated these anthropomorphous figures as fitomorfic, because they looks like a plant. They are characterized by having a series of extremities, which do not necessarily

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keep a direct relationship with the reality, like two pairs of extremities, constituted by lineal appendixes that are embedded to their trunk. The characteristics of their representation, plus in some cases their esquematization, leads us to question their relationship to real human-like figures, it is also possible to think that they represent the schematization of zoomorphic figures or figures that belong to the ideational world of these populations. Therefore, we find that this style of rock art has a wide variability of human figures. Nevertheless this variety, we observe the tendency of always representing the human being in a state of null animation, with lack of muscular attributes and with its superior extremities in great proportions. Metrically speaking, great percentage of the figures shares the same size range and proportions. Spatially speaking, this rock art is not associated to the residential sites. They frequently lack any type of cultural material in their proximities, although in occasions they are summoned on site ascribed to the Historical Period (1536 D.C.). As an exception, the petrogliphs located in the dales of Piguchn are associated to early ceramic sites. This fact could lead us to think that this rock art must be assign to early ceramic Period (0900 D.C.), but we believe that the regularity we have observed at the rock art stations in the valley allows to state that the association seen at Pichugn would be the random due to the site formation process of the local archaeological record. The main reason on which we base is association to the Late Intermediate Period is the fact that this rock art is located in the same spaces where sites belonging to the Late Intermission are located. We must mention that no sites have been found in these dales that are qualified for the human establishment, nor have petrogliph panels been registered. In previous investigations this same chronological association of the rock art has been suggested (Niemeyer 1964, Mostny and Niemeyer 1983). VI The second style of rock art proposed for the Putaendo valley belongs to the Inca Period (1.4001.536 D.C.). This Inca rock art is based on the evidence recovered from the Pucara (hill fort) El Trtaro and from certain designs found in our locality. However, this style is in an initial stage of definition, the information is not as systematized as Style I. In fact, many of rock art panels of this period have not been registered in an adequate way, since there is no complete registration of their attributes. The first element that allows the definition this style is the use of overlapping that has been identified on an art panel next to Pucara El Trtaro. In this overlapping, the presence of a lineal design of fine trace is identified, possibly elaborated with a metallic instrument, over a figure of thick lines assigned to Style I. A second element ascribed to this style is the registration of a series of rock art panels of the mountain chain where Pucara El Trtaro is located. Spatial association between the hill fort and rock art, and the differential characteristics of its designs suggests a contextual association with the Inca Period. This style would be characterized by a significant presence of lineal figures, the reformulation of some elements of Style I and the possible continuation of previous designs. For this first case, in Pucara El Trtaro we found an important number of lineal elements distributed on the panel. It is possible that the inscribed cross figure also is part of this lineal context. Although it has been associated to the Style I, it is important to make notice that a similar design is present in ceramics of the Late Period in the locality. We must also add the presence of a rock art panel near the hill fort that exhibits a great number of these figures, even though there arent many records of these in the valley. We must add that within the rules that define the first style the absence of inscribed lineal figures is notorious (Figure N3 a and b).

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Consistent with what has been mentioned above, we believe that two figures that look like an "i", registered at the site C.B. N14, would form part of this universe of rock art. Within the geometry of this art we also find the representation of the square figure. A square of curved sides has been identified in the hill fort elaborated with the same thin line mentioned above. Another square element ascribable to this period is the concentric square identified at the C.B. N14 site, that is overlapping a circular figure. We think that this overlapping suggests the existence of two different cultural periods, because this grammatical tool used in the construction of the panel of rock art it is not presented in the first style of rock art defined for our study area. Plus the fact, we have the concentric attribute in the Style I among the circles but absent among the squares, which represents a low percentage of the total of figures. The circular elements continue during this moment, however suffering some modifications, it is possible that many do maintain throughout time. A figure that has clear modification is the compound concentric circle, which acquires an interior linear decoration that is located among the different radios of the inscribed circles and not in the space generated inside the smallest circle. Simple concentric circles and quadripartite circles are also present in this rock art of the valley. The representation of the human figure is not very clear in this style, however, we believe that it is possible to assign a couple of very particular human figures. Although they share some human features, they lack of eyes and an almost total absence of the head (it is only a line in the form of a great brow), we must add to this the unproportioned representation of the trunk as concentric circles and the use of appendixes to illustrate extremities. Their animation is null, usually standing and in a frontward position (Figure N3c). No zoomorphic figures are registered. All the different elements that have been previously exposed allows to assure the existence of a style of rock art during Inca times, that would be characterized by i) possession of constructive elements of design different than the one seen for style I and ii) some of these figurative elements would be present in the ceramics of this period. VII A third style ascribed to historical times has been defined for the area. Contrary to the previous styles, this one possess scarce representations and its definition is quite precarious. This style is subdivided in an Early Historical Style or IIIa and a Late Historical Style or IIIb. Style IIIa is only registered in the site C.B. N33, which corresponds to a mounting scene where a human being and a quadruped is represented. The technology used for the elaboration of this petrogliph is similar to the one identified for prehispanic times, that is the use of a thick line made by picking and scraping. The human figure lacks a body but has long arms. The quadruped on the other hand is represented by a lineal construction of the design where we can see its extremities and ears. Associated to this figure we found another human figure where the head is symbolize as a dot and the individual shows extremely long arms with indications of the hands (Figure N3d). It is possible to assign this Early Style to the Historical Period because the constructive characteristics of petrogliph resembles the ones identified for the prehispanic period, which leads us to think that its elaboration was done by indigenous hands. Obviously, the mounting scene immediately refers to a Historical Period. The Style IIIb embraces all the engravings of advanced historical times, elaborated by non-indigenous

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hands and that basically exhibits Christian crosses. VIII The definitions that have been characterize here for each one of the rock art styles proposed for the superior course of the river Aconcagua, starting from the evidences recovered in the valley of Putaendo and their comparison with the antecedents surrendered by the existent bibliography, are of preliminary and they are liable to redefinitions in the future, especially those related with the Inca and Historical Period rock art. In fact, we recognize that it is not only possible to complement the definition of the styles by increasing the study sample, that means to include a greater number of human figures, but also to consider the characteristics that presents the internal organization of the panels of the defined rock art for each moment of the local prehistory. The proposition of these three styles of rock art opens a new perspective of the investigation of the prehistory of the area, because classically it was thought the there only existed single rock art style that would belong to the Late Intermediate Period (Niemeyer 1964, Mostny and Niemeyer 1983). In this manner, the different spatial distributional characteristics observed for each one of the proposed styles, as well as the study of the overlapping of some figures of the Style II or Incan about the Style I, allows to explore some of the properties existent in the relationship between the Inca and the local population during the period of annexation of this area to the Incan Empire, however, that is a topic for another discussion. ACNOWLEDGEMENTS To Rodrigo Snchez, director of proyect; Daniel Pavlovic and Ismael Martnez, who were recording the rock art with me; Francisco Gallardo and Claudia Silva, by his methodological supports, and Carolina Belmar, who translate this paper from spanish to english. BIBLIOGRAPHY CLARKE, D. 1986. Arqueologa Analtica. Ediciones Bellatera, Barcelona. FOUCAULT, M.1997 [1970] La arqueologa del saber. Siglo XXI editores, Madrid. MOSTNY, G. and H. NIEMEYER. 1983. Arte rupestre chileno. Ministerio de Educacin, Serie Patrimonio Cultural Chileno, Santiago NIEMEYER, H. 1964. "Petroglifos en el curso superior del ro Aconcagua". Arqueologa de Chile Central y reas vecinas , Actas del III Congreso Internacional de Arqueologa Chilena, Via del Mar, pp. 133-150.

Ro La Ligua

72 19

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O C E A N O P A C F I C O

Ro Rocn Campos de Ahumada SAN FELIPE Ro Juncal

Ro Putaendo Ro Aconcagua

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Ro Colina Est. Margamarga Ro Mapocho Est. Casablanca SANTIAGO Ro Colorado Ro Maipo

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L os Patos Casa Blan ca El Trtaro Ramadillas

32

Pig uchn 43
Ro Maipo

Putaend o Ro Putaendo 5 Km. San Felipe Ro Aconcagua Ro Aconcagua

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10 cm

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10 cm

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