Indigenous raised agricultural fields in paicaví, la araucanía, Chile, and their socio-economic implications during the early colonial period: A preliminary view

Abstract

Raised agricultural fields in the delta of the Paicaví River in the Araucanía region of south-central Chile are described and considered preliminarily in terms of their social and economic implications for the Early Colonial Period. Archival material of the 16th-17th centuries suggests that this area, which was part of the Tucapel province of the Araucanian Estado, possibly supported the warriors from Purén- who more fiercely resisted the Spanish--by providing large quantities of food. The archaeological record of the raised fields in the area hypothetically supports this role, at least during times of warfare between the Spanish and Mapuche.