Showing papers by "Universidad del Norte, Colombia published in 1982"

The pre-Columbian dog from Arica, Chile

Abstract: Burials and mummies of dogs from the Arica, Chile, area are described. It is concluded that these dogs were brought to this area 2500 years ago by shepherds from the highlands and are still present, relatively unchanged. Eight mummies of dogs with the hair pre- sent were studied. The cultures from which they came are known and carbon-14 dates were obtained from human mummies in the ceme- teries where the dogs were found. Additional skeletal material was available but was not included in these studies except to note that these skeletons were similar to the mummies when compared with radiographs of the latter. One ceramic of a dog was also studied, the only such ceramic seen in over 30 years of exca- vating in this zone. Petroglyphs (stone carv- ings) and geoglyphs (pictures made by placing stones) in the Arica area were also examined for figures that might possibly represent dogs. RESULTS Geoglyphs and petroglyphs were examined in the valleys of Azapa, Camarones, Lluta, and Codpa, all in the Arica area. Petroglyphs of dogs were seen in the Azapa valley at Livicar near the parking area for the fiesta of the Vir- gen de las Pefias. The dogs were associated with human figures, and cameloids. A fox was also seen and could easily be distinguished from the dogs by his bushy tail. In the lower part of the Azapa valley near Cerro Sombrero were geoglyphs that also show human figures and cameloids in association with a dog. The valley of Codpa had foxes as well as dogs in the pe- troglyphs from Olagia, in Camerones dogs were also noted at Taltape.