Paleodemographic profile of Morro de Arica, an Archaic coastal population of Northern Chile

Abstract

The Archaic population of Morro de Arica lived in the northern coast of Chile around 1520 to 3400 B.P., beeing the ocean their main source of subsistence. The present study fulfills a synthesis about the biology of the group, evaluating the information available with respect to their adaptation, environmental impact and demography. Through a series of 99 individuals, the information related with the grouth and development processes, health, diet, daily activity and a set of demographic parameters were recovered. The results indicate that 18.18%present signs of periostitis, 49.46% of osteomyelitis, 21.69% of cribaorbitalia, 10% of hyperostosis, 17.95% of pathologic degeneration of occipital condyle, 20.43% of traumas and fractures and a 17.44% of auditive exostosis. In addition, the analysis revealed a marked sexual dimorphism and a life expectancy of 33 years, with an average family size of 2.18% and an average age of 18.2 years. This evidence allows the hypothesis that this population has suffered a moderate environmental impact, characteristic of the Archaic period in the desert coast and consistent with the available resources.