Exploring the trajectory of Bioarchaeology and Paleopathology in Ecuador: Current challenges and future directions

Antony Cevallos — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Bioarchaeology and paleopathology have experienced significant global development by enabling the reconstruction of key aspects of the human past, such as health status, disease prevalence, funerary practices, and mobility patterns, through the analysis of human remains. In Ecuador, although both disciplines are still in the process of consolidation, they have shown steady growth in recent decades, demonstrating strong potential to enrich the biocultural understanding of past populations.

This article offers a critical review of the historical and current development of these fields in the country. It examines their trajectory over nearly five decades of research, from early pioneering studies to the most recent approaches, including innovative methodologies that involve materials other than bones and teeth. It also explores the contributions made from Ecuador to the Andean paleopathological knowledge, highlighting significant advances alongside persistent gaps.

Based on this analysis, the article proposes strategies aimed at strengthening the institutionalization, specialized training, and scientific projection of both disciplines. Finally, it reflects on their fundamental role in reconstructing past populations and argues that, through coordinated strategic actions by researchers and institutions, Ecuador has the potential to transform its biocultural heritage into a meaningful source of scientific, educational, and cultural knowledge.

Mound construction in the Northern Ecuadorian Andes: A relational analysis of the cultural landscape transformation

Jorge Fernando Flores Troya — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The construction of the cultural landscape and the relationship between humans and their environment have traditionally been analyzed from binary perspectives that separate the natural from the cultural. This paper proposes an integrative approach to examine this interaction at the archaeological sites of Cochasquí, Zuleta, La Merced de Cobuendo, Palmitopamba, and Quripogyo, located in the inter-Andean zone and the western foothills of Pichincha and Imbabura. Using a combination of bibliographic documentation, cartographic analysis, and phenomenological methods, we seek to understand how the physical attributes of the tolas, along with topographic, environmental, symbolic, and perceptual factors, influenced decision-making and the relationship between the Caranqui and Yumbo societies and their environment.

The study is based on Tim Ingold's (2000) theories of skill, experience, and practice, as well as Christopher Tilley's (1994) ideas on embodiment and sensory experience. These perspectives allow us to explore how individuals experienced and perceived their environment, creating a sense of place and belonging. Combining functionalist and phenomenological approaches, the paper seeks to explain in a balanced way how pre-Hispanic societies in the northern Andes of Ecuador interacted with their environment to construct a meaningful cultural landscape during the Late Pre-Hispanic Period (500-1500 AD).

STRATA

Exploring the trajectory of Bioarchaeology and Paleopathology in Ecuador: Current challenges and future directions

Mound construction in the Northern Ecuadorian Andes: A relational analysis of the cultural landscape transformation