NO. 1 CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICA 83 
multiple brush, and anthropomorphic polypod legs distinguish the 
Guangala Culture. 
There is considerable difference in the level of sociopolitical and re- 
ligious development attained by the various regional cultures. The 
Jambeli Phase, associated with the mangrove swamps of the southern 
coast, continued the early Formative way of life in many respects, sub- 
sisting on shellfish and other wild foods, possibly supplemented by 
limited agriculture. The pottery, although incorporating the horizon 
style markers (white-on-red and negative painting), is much simpler 
in form and less varied in decoration than in any of the other con- 
temporary groups. Since there is evidence of contact with the Guan- 
gala and Bahia Phases, this cultural lag cannot be attributed to iso- 
lation, but must be associated with the limited agricultural potential 
of the environment. 
The Bahia Phase, by contrast, attained a level that in Peru would 
be termed "Florescent," and in Mesoamerica, "Classic" (Estrada, 
1962). It provides the first evidence of ceremonial structures, in the 
form of stone-faced platforms. The Island of La Plata was apparently 
a religious sanctuary, to judge from the presence of thousands of 
figurines and other presumably ritual objects and the total absence of 
habitation refuse. Figurines are exceedingly abundant and varied, in- 
cluding hand-made, mold-made, standing, seated, male, female, solid 
and hollow construction, and applique, mold-made, and painted dec- 
oration. The variation is not random, however, and the majority of 
examples fall into a dozen rather well defined types. Habitation sites 
are larger than during the previous period, and are composed typically 
of large mounds associated with catchment basins for fresh-water 
storage. 
The navigational skill of the Bahia people is attested by their use 
of La Plata Island as a ritual center. Certain components of the 
ceramic complex suggest that they ventured much farther afield. The 
zoned, postfired painted decoration on Bahia pottery is nearly indis- 
tinguishable from that of south coastal Peru and bears a close re- 
semblance to examples of similar decoration from Mesoamerica. More 
than this, the variety of figurine styles, pottery masks, pottery stamps, 
and other objects of indisputably Mexican affiliation, long known 
from this part of Ecuador, can be assigned to the Bahia and neighbor- 
ing Jama-Coaque Cultures. The resemblances are so numerous and 
detailed as to suggest maintenance of direct contact over a period of 
time, and the absence of stepping stones in Central America indicates 
that the path was by sea. 
