Keywords

Amazon, llanos de mojos, bolivia, earthworks, raised fields, gis

Abstract

Throughout Amazonia, earthworks are found in areas of diverse linguistic and ethnic backgrounds. The distribution of these earthworks within various linguistic and ethnic areas suggests a multiethnic or multilinguistic network, in which interaction between these diverse groups occurred, creating diverse communities. Movement and communication within Amazonia along river networks allowed for this interaction. Interaction between groups in Amazonia may have also influenced the different methods of landscape modification. This thesis presents a GIS-based spatial analysis of raised fields, a type of agricultural earthwork found throughout the Llanos de Mojos (Mojos), located in the Beni Department of Bolivia. The distribution of fields, forest islands, and rivers was analyzed to distinguish the relationship between these features in the study area. The spatial analysis distinguished patterns between raised fields found along two sets of rivers, the Iruyañez and Omi Rivers, and the Yacuma and Rapulo Rivers. Spatial patterns found within these distributions were also compared to the distribution of linguistic groups in the area. Among these patterns, it is seen that one kind of agricultural earthwork is found in areas associated with different linguistic groups. The spatial patterns found among the raised fields and forest islands in relation to the linguistic groups in the area demonstrate the fluidity between groups in the region. Insight to movement and communication in Mojos can be understood through the interaction between linguistic groups and the distribution of archaeological features in the region.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2015

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Walker, John

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Anthropology

Degree Program

Anthropology

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0005615

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0005615

Language

English

Release Date

May 2018

Length of Campus-only Access

3 years

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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Anthropology Commons

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