desert environment. The region around the town has a 
long and almost unbroken archaeological sequence begin- 
ning at least 10,000 B.C. and lasting until post-Conquest 
times. A summary of the cultural sequence since the in- 
troduction of ceramic technology (ca. 500 B.C.) is found 
in Pollard (1971). The appearance of maize cultivation 
in the archaeological record (ca. A.D). 100) is associated 
with artificial irrigation technology. 
MalIze FROM THE Earnikst SITE 
The earliest site found with associated maize is desig- 
nated RAnL 100. Although no prehispanic structures 
are preserved, the site is believed to be the earliest agri- 
cultural village settlement along the middle Loa River. 
Sections of the site include a small intact refuse mound, 
a looted cemetery, ancient agricultural terraces and irri- 
gation canals, and ruins of a historic-period house. -A 
1.0 & 2.5 m. cut was excavated in the refuse mound, 
revealing five well separated, but culturally homogeneous 
layers, the deepest of which (layer 5) was as much as 55 
em. below ground surface. Each layer yielded an abun- 
dance of sherds, various lithic artifacts, and = sizeable 
quantities of Lama sp. bones. Layers 2-5 each con- 
tained varying amounts of Lama sp. wool and mesquite 
seeds (Prosopis chilensis). Layers 8 and 5 also contained 
several gourd fragments (Lagenaria sp.). Twenty maize 
cobs and several fragments were recovered from layers 
2—5. Radiocarbon analysis of asample of ama sp. wool 
and skin from layer 5 resulted ina date of A.D. 105 + 
105 (GN-1644). At present, this is the earliest date for 
maize agriculture in northern Chile. 
Of the nineteen races of maize described by ‘Timothy 
et al. (1961), we recognize three in the collection trom 
site 100. Descriptions of these follow : 
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