Structural Density of Domesticated South American Camelid Skeletal Elements and the Archaeological Investigation of Prehistoric Andean Ch'arki

This paper presents a standardized series of replicable and comparable density assays, based on the technique of photon densitometry (or absorptiometry), for two native South American camelid taxa, the domesticated llama (Lama glama) and alpaca (L. pacos). Two sets of volume density (VD) measures (in g/cm3) are provided: (1) “shape-adjusted” volume density (VDSA) which computes cross-sectional area of each scan site based upon computerized analysis of scanned digital images; and (2) standard volume density (VDLD/BT) which norms cross-sectional area to a block form. Derived value sets are compared with each other, between camelid specimens and with published figures for camelid, deer and bison skeletal elements. Patterns of structural bone densities between South American camelids and other artiodactyls might be attributed to unique anatomical expressions of locomotor and dietary adaptations. The density data are combined with derived meat utility indices to explore the archaeological correlates associated with the production, distribution and consumption of ch'arki, a native Andean dried meat product. The paper examines the validity of an Andeancharqui effect (sensu Miller, 1979, An introduction to the ethnoarchaeology of the Andean Camelids. Ph.D. Thesis, University of California at Berkeley), based on the well-known schlepp effect, by comparing hypotheticalch'arki and chalona models of meat preservation. Faunal data from the prehistoric Peruvian site of Chavı´n de Hua´ntar do not support the consumption of imported ch'arki, but could implicate its local production. The data could also support the consumption of imported chalona, or the importation of live camelids which were subsequently slaughtered, locally produced into chalona and consumed. In both cases, the data leave open the possibility that Chavı´n may have been a production centre for either ch'arki or chalona; however, acceptance of the differing interpretations requires some potentially problematic assumptions.