NO. 1 CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICA 
57 
ting edges that could serve as picks or scrapers" (Biirgl, 1957, pp. 
9-29). 
These early lithic remains in Colombia lack absolute dating. The 
sites appear to represent sporadic workshops of wandering groups 
whose principal subsistence source was hunting. There is no evidence 
of agriculture at this time or of burial practices. 
Period II (3000-1000 b.c). — Remains belonging to Period II have 
thus far been found only in northern Colombia, in the area between 
the Magdalena and Sinu Rivers (fig. 8). The earliest material comes 
from Puerto Hormiga, located on the Canal del Dique. A carbon-14 
date of 4875 ±: 170 years (Reichel-Dolmatoff, 1961, p. 354) makes 
this the earliest reported ceramic complex not only in Colombia, but 
in South America. The pottery is crude in workmanship and simple 
in form. Frequent use of vegetal temper, either fibers or leaves, gives 
it a spongelike structure. Decoration is rudimentary and irregularly 
applied, and includes incised lines filled with red pigment. Associated 
stone artifacts are of quartzite and show no secondary retouch. Sub- 
sistence was derived from shellfish and collection of wild seeds. 
Puerto Hormiga is followed by the phases of Barlovento, San 
Jacinto, and Malambo. These exhibit certain stylistic relationships, 
which are confirmed by their relative chronological position as indi- 
cated by carbon-14 dates, making it possible to outline the cultural 
development in this geographical region during Period II. 
The Barlovento Phase (Reichel-Dolmatoff, G. and A., 1955) is 
characterized by simple pottery, rounded vessels being typical. Decora- 
tion is by broad incised lines in curvilinear motifs, frequently com- 
bined with punctate zones. The incisions often show traces of red pig- 
ment. The infrequent lithic material consists of artifacts made by 
percussion. The depth of the deposit and the presence of sherds in the 
earliest levels indicate that the Barlovento people knew pottery before 
their arrival at the site. The midden refuse has characteristics suggest- 
ing that it may have been a seasonal camp, visited during the time of 
the year when shellfish are most abundant. Additional sites represent- 
ing this phase have been found within the limits of Cartagena and on 
the Isla de Baru (Reichel-Dolmatoff, 1958, p. 475) . 
In the San Jacinto Phase, which follows Barlovento, the simple 
subglobular vessel shapes and broad-line incised decoration in cur- 
vilinear motifs continue. New elements include simple spouts in the 
form of open channels at the rim, and perforated lugs, often zoomor- 
phic in form, and decorated with incision (Cruxent and Rouse, 1958, 
p. 36). In the succeeding Malambo Phase, this modeled and incised 
