Actividades tecnológicas articuladoras: Una interpretación fértil del paisaje desértico costero de Arica (Chile)

This paper proposes that plant fiber technology was a central element in shaping the social and technological decisions made by early hunter-gatherer and fishing groups in Arica (CRP). This is within the framework of the technological processes employed for the manufacture of artifacts from this raw material between approximately 10,000 and 3,700 BP. To support this proposal, an analysis of the technical-textile attributes of plant fiber artifacts from sites along the Arica coast was conducted, along with an updated record of plant fiber crafts that included the identification of manufacturing stages and a mapping of vegetation cover using remote sensing. This is theoretically supported by the operationalized use of the taskscape concept, enriched by social notions of technology and the chaîne opératoire model, thus integrating this technology into the social context. In conclusion, it can be established that manufacturing was part of the daily life of these groups who, having continuously inhabited estuaries and wetlands, constantly transformed the natural and cultural environment. Therefore, the extraction, selection, processing, and weaving of materials constitute only a fraction of a significant social activity that allows us to understand social and technological aspects that extend beyond the perspective of dietary fitness.