Emergence of social complexity among coastal hunter-gatherers in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1116724109
• Publication Date: 2012-08-14T02:37:49Z
• Authors: Pablo A. Marquet; Calogero M. Santoro; Claudio Latorre; Vivien G. Standen; Sebastián R. Abades; Marcelo M. Rivade...; Bernardo Arriaza; Michael E. Hochberg
• Keywords: Desert (philosophy); Social Complexity; Dead sea

The emergence of complex cultural practices in simple hunter-gatherer groups poses interesting questions on what drives social complexity and causes the disappearance innovations. Here we analyze conditions that underlie artificial mummification Chinchorro culture coastal Atacama Desert northern Chile southern Peru. We provide empirical theoretical evidence appeared during a period increased freshwater availability marine productivity, which caused an increase human population size accelerated innovations, as predicted by recent models technological evolution. Under scenario increasing extreme aridity (with little or no decomposition corpses) demographic model shows dead individuals may have become significant part landscape, creating for manipulation led to mortuary practices.