One room dwellings. Social reproduction strategies in domestic context from Pueblo Viejo de Tucute (Puna of Jujuy, Argentina)

Abstract

Pueblo Viejo de Tucute (Puna de Jujuy, Argentina), dated in the Regional Development Period, shows a distinctive architectural pattern with hundreds of circular dwellings built on stone walled terraces. Nine of these round houses have been test pitted and two of them have been fully excavated. The comparison between these houses, regarding their setting and their associated archaeological materials, allows us to propose differences and similarities regarding the organization and use of the domestic spaces, and also to inquire about the social status of the inhabitants of both archaeological households. The identification of fixed and semi-fixed architectural features and the analysis of the recovered artifacts show different activities related to economic and social reproduction strategies. Basic biological and material aspects, productive activities and symbolic practices associated with communal reproduction are recognized. Data from colonial chronicles and ethnographic studies from the Bolivian altiplano from the first half of the 20th century describe the way of life and the use of dwellings with similar characteristics.