PALEOENVIRONMENTAL SYNTHESIS IN ANTOFAGASTA DE LA SIERRA: ENVIRONMENTAL HETEROGENEITY AND HUMAN OCCUPATIONS IN THE LAST 7200 YEARS CAL. BP

We propose a synthesis of current state of the paleo-hydrological changes in Antofagasta de la Sierra, to design a paleoenvironmental evolution model based on environmental heterogeneity, and assess its usefulness to analyse human occupations of the past 7200 years cal. BP. Previous research in six river systems and three lakes, included geomorphological surveys and various sedimentological analyses, soil, diatoms and ostracods, which allowed infer that during the last 7200 years cal. BP water resources have always been available, but with different magnitude and distribution spatio-temporal, creating favorable local conditions for human occupation in specific spaces. Between ca. 7200-3500 years cal. BP, would have prevailed arid conditions with a high mosaic distribution of the water recourses in intra- and inter-basin scale. Between ca. 3500-1600 years cal. BP, with wet conditions with greater development and stability of wetlands in all sectors, there have been less spatial heterogeneity in water availability. Subsequently, ca. 1600 years cal. BP, they would predominate again arid conditions with different distribution of water resource. This model of paleoenvironmental heterogeneity is suitable as scale analysis to explore the various strategies of the use of space by pre-Hispanic societies.