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T-232B (Kala Uyuni)/T-225(Achachi Coa Kkollu)

In the Late Chiripa phase, these two sites should be considered as composing a single community. Sector B at Kala Uyuni covers 5.25 ha, and seems to be a strictly domestic occupation with no indications of corporate architecture as yet. Sector C at Achachi Coa Kkollu covers 1.5 ha, and clearly has a terrace (with several large limestone pillars still in evidence on the surface) and quite possibly a sunken court as well. This site would seem to represent a ceremonial or public ritual area, containing as it does corporate architecture and located as it is on a high hill overlooking the main body of the village below. It was probably functionally equivalent to the large terrace/platforms at Chiaramaya, Chiripa and Yanapata. This spot is still used for agricultural ritual. Recording it I met with a small party of men digging up and upending one of the large limestone pillars from the Middle Formative structure. Reportedly, flipping this pillar - known as 'the Colonel' - brings rain. This has been the custom in the community of Coa Kkollu as long as any of these men - some quite elderly - could remember.

At any rate, the two nearby sectors have a combined population index value of 361, placing them among the first rank of Late Chiripa sites. In the Late Chiripa phase, they grew together at an annual rate of 0.15%. This is faster than most sites of this period and 50% more than the phase average. The combined community may have received some immigrants fleeing the fissioning of Sonaji (T-271), but this must remain hypothetical.


next up previous contents
Next: T-268B (Sunaj Pata) Up: Principal sites Previous: T-130D (Yanapata)   Contents
Matthew Bandy 2002-06-02