Chiribaya are a people that lived in the Osmore drainage in southern Peru. They lived in many small cities throughout the Osmore drainage basin from approximately 1000 AD to 1350 AD. The dates are still in discussion with radiocarbon dating going as early as 700 AD. The Chiribaya people declined drastically in 1350 AD when an unusually large el Niño destroyed most of the agricultural support systems. The Chiribaya also raised various animals such as guinea pigs, and llamas. The lifestyles of the Chiribaya were often depicted on their pottery. The Chiribaya had many diseases and parasites that they received from their animals, walls, and other people. These diseases were often depicted in great detail on there pottery showing the different stages and progression of the disease.

The Chiribaya ware is polychrome ceramics and has complex geometric designs. The designs are often very abstract and contain many colors. Chiribaya ware is also said to be pre-Incan in origin unlike many of the other civilizations that existed in Peru at the time. The pots and jars had many different colors and earth tones often using reds, browns and black outlining. The pottery was often used for boiling agricultural foods like maize and manioc. The pottery was often derived from Tiwanaku who inhabited the region before the Chiribaya from 500 AD - 1000 AD.

The Chiribaya all had identical ceramic technologies and often used the same types of paste, paints and other materials and methods to make the ceramics which were later fired. The styles of the designs are the only thing that differed among the Chiribaya people. The costal styles often differed from styles found farther inland but all styles helped define the people and thier lives. The Chiribaya often mummified their people during burial and put large amounts of pottery within the grave of the diseased. This has provided to be a wealth of information for ceramics that are studied today. The materials also lend themselves easily to carbon dating techniques which have helped define the unusually large population of the Chiribaya.

Reference:

“Owen 1992: Costal Colonies.” Archaeology Research in Peru (20 March 1992)

http://bruceowen.com/ Updated(2008)

“Pathoecology of Chiribaya Parasitism.” Pathoecology of Chiribaya Parasitism (2002)

Former Link http://www.unl.edu/Reinhard/29p.pdf (2008)

Written by Chris George 2003