JAMBELI CULTURE — ESTRADA, MEGGERS, EVANS 541 



around the Gulf of Guayaquil to agricultural exploitation. The 

 presence of a few metate and mano fragments in Jambeli refuse can 

 be interpreted either as an indication of limited use of cultivated 

 plants or as evidence of the exploitation of wild plant foods. In any 

 case, it is clear that the major subsistence emphasis of the Jambeli 

 culture was different from that prevailing on other parts of the 

 Ecuadorian coast during the Regional Developmental Period (fig. 40). 



Of the contemporary regional cultures, the Jambeli culture is 

 most closely affiliated with the Guangala complex, which occupied 

 the northern portion of the Guayas coast (fig. 41). Jambeli White- 

 on-Red is practically identical to Guangala White-on-Red in vessel 

 shape, surface finish, and decorative technique and motif (pi. 12). 

 While the type seems too common in Guangala sites to have originated 

 by trade from the Jambeli culture, this possibility cannot be ruled 

 out until more detailed analysis has been made of the Guangala 

 ceramic sequence (cf. Bushnell, 1951, p. 44). Another decorative 

 technique shared by the two complexes is red paint in bands. The 

 Jambeli ceramic complex, however, is much simpler and less varied 

 than that of the Guangala culture. 



Throughout the seriated sequence, there is evidence of contact 

 with the Guangala culture in the form of trade sherds.^ While these 

 represent a number of the most common decorated types — Barcelona 

 Painted Dark Line (Barcelona Linea Oscura), Guangala Burnished 

 Line (Guangala Brunido), Guangala Finger Painted (Guangala Pin- 

 tado con Dedo) and Chorrera Iridescent (Chorrera Iridiscente) — ^it is of 

 interest to note that not a single sherd of Guangala Bicolor, La 

 Libertad Bicolor, or La Libertad Tricolor was recovered. Since 

 these types are more characteristic of the late Guangala culture, 

 their absence may be an indication that the period of contact is to be 

 equated with early Guangala. Confirmation of this possibility will 

 have to await more detailed analysis of the ceramic sequence of the 

 Guangala culture. 



Two diagnostic artifacts from Jambeli sites can be related to the 

 Guangala culture. One, a body fragment of a solid pottery figurine 

 (fig. 17, a), is unlike the typical Jambeli figurine type but generally 

 resembles a common Guangala type (fig. 17, b). The second object, 

 a carved complete shell with a hole at the center providing access to 

 the interior (fig. 6, a), is like shells from the Guangala culture identi- 

 fied as containers (fig. 6, 6). Whether the Jambeli example was 

 acquired by trade or is locally made cannot be determined, but it is 



> The assumption made by Estrada (1961, Cuadro 1) from preliminary analysis of stratigraphy at Q-84 

 that the Guangala types are survivals into the later Jambeli complex has not proved correct. 



