Pre-Columbian transregional captive rearing of Amazonian parrots in the Atacama Desert
José M. Capriles, Calógero M. Santoro, Richard J. George, Eliana Flores Bedregal, Douglas J. Kennett, Logan Kistler, Francisco Rothhammer
Abstract
Significance The brightly colored feathers of macaws, amazons, and other neotropical parrots were one of the most important symbols of wealth, power, and sacredness in the pre-Columbian Americas. Andean highland and coastal societies imported these exotic goods from Amazonian tropical forests by little-understood mechanisms of exchange. The study of 27 complete and partially mummified and skeletonized remains of at least six species of parrots from five archaeological sites in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile provides evidence that capturing, transporting, and keeping macaws, amazons, and conures as pets was part of this provisioning system, likely motivated by their significance for producing and representing relational wealth.