Mayo-Chinchipe facts for kids
The Mayo-Chinchipe culture was an ancient group of people who lived a very long time ago, from about 5500 BC to 1700 BC. That's over 7,000 years ago! They lived in the mountains of what is now Ecuador and Peru.
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Where They Lived
The Mayo-Chinchipe people lived in a large area. It stretched from the Valladolid River in Podocarpus National Park in Ecuador all the way to where the Chinchipe River flows into the Marañon River in Peru, near a place called Bagua, Peru. Their culture is named after these two rivers, Mayo and Chinchipe.
Their Way of Life
Scientists have learned a lot about the Mayo-Chinchipe culture from special places they've found.
Important Sites
One of the most famous sites is called Santa Ana (La Florida). Here, archaeologists found an old temple and a special fireplace used for ceremonies. Another important place is Montegrande in Peru. At Montegrande, more ceremonial centers were discovered.
Just across the border in Ecuador, in a place called Palanda, archaeologists found a tomb. Inside, they discovered amazing items made of stone and pottery. They also found traces of cacao (which is used to make chocolate!) and special shells called Spondylus shells. Another related site is San Isidro, near Jaen in Peru, close to Montegrande.
Daily Life and Skills
The Mayo-Chinchipe people were very skilled. They likely had people who were shamans, which are spiritual leaders. They also had other special jobs in their community. They knew how to work with stone and make pottery. They enjoyed cacao, and they might have even made a type of beer from corn!
Trading with Others
The Mayo-Chinchipe culture didn't live all by themselves. They traded with other groups of people, especially those living near the coast. For example, they are believed to have traded plants with the Valdivia culture, which lived on the coast. This shows they had connections and shared resources with people from different areas.
See also
- In Spanish: Cultura Mayo-Chinchipe-Marañón para niños
