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Ancient Use of Coca Leaves in the Peruvian Central Highlands

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By Laurie Milne December 2, 2015 - 11:40am

In keeping with previous blogs that deal with very early dated archaeological remains in the mountainous regions of North and South America, here is another addition to the evolving story.

Lideo M. Valdez of MacEwan University, plus two co-authors, present the earliest evidence to date for the use of coca leaves in "Ancient Use of Coca Leaves in the Peruvian Central Highlands" (Journal of Anthropological Research 71(2):231-258).

The authors review ethnohistorical descriptions of the multicontextual uses of coca leaves by the ancient Inka as recorded by the Spanish in the 16th century and later.  Valdez et al pose the question, "Just how old is this relationship between coca leaves and the peoples of the Peruvian central highlands?  They report the discovery of a burial cist at the site of Convento in the Ayacucho Valley which contained human skeletal remains, broken ceramic vessels, tupu pins and surprisingly well-preserved coca leaves.  One of the vessels was a small bottle decorated in the distinctive Cruz Pata style which dates to the end of the Early Intermediate Period (CA. 1-550 CE) and the beginning of the Middle Horizon Period (ca. 550-1100 CE). 

Subsequent botanical identification indicates that the coca came from the coast of Peru.  Coca plus manioc, chili peppers, sweet potatoes and peanuts which have been found in very early contexts at coastal sites are believed to ultimately derive from the lowlands east of the Andes.  Valdez et al posit that the use of coca leaves in Ayacucho likely began much earlier than indicated by the evidence at Convento since the coca leaves were already part of the offering paraphernalia to the dead by the time of the Cruz Pata ceramic style.

The interactions of peoples from the eastern lowlands, the Andean highlands, and the Pacific coast have great time depth in South America.  The spread of coca and its multiple contextual uses are simply one manifestation of that interaction.

 

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/278784662_Ancient_use_of_Coca_Leaves_in_the_Peruvian_central_highlands