106 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 146 
been found in Bolivia, Peru, and Chile, and as far south as Patagonia 
(Palli Aike, level III). They make their appearance between 3000 
and 4000 b.c. and continue until the introduction of pottery making, 
often associated with implements connected with food gathering, and 
possibly with incipient agriculture. This tradition was probably dis- 
persed along the Andes, since it occurs abundantly in the Tambillo- 
Cebollar complex of the Chilean Puna, in Pichalo II on the coast, in 
San Pedro Vie jo (Hurtado) in the area of the Valles Transversales, 
and at Ichuna and other sites in Peru. In Mesoamerica, there is a tri- 
angular-point tradition that can be viewed as a possible source of 
diffusion toward the south. 
AGRICULTURAL AND POTTERY-MAKING CULTURES 
In reviewing the development of the agricultural and pottery-mak- 
ing cultures, two approaches are possible : Changes can be summarized 
either in terms of fixed time periods or in terms of stages of develop- 
ment. The ideal would be to fit sequences into the first system, and to 
draw from this a reconstruction of the developmental stages. Since 
the lack of absolute local chronologies makes this impossible, the re- 
verse procedure must be adopted, namely, the establishment of 
periods based on typological relationships between various elements, 
without knowing always whether these represent contemporary oc- 
currences or survivals. 
However they vary in other respects, schemes adapted to the An- 
dean Area agree in the recognition of three major horizons : The Cha- 
vin, the Tiahuanacoid, and the Inca. In northwestern Argentina, it is 
of interest to observe that there is no evidence of the Chavin Hori- 
zon, so that this important time marker cannot be utilized. Nor is 
there direct influence of Tiahuanaco except in the northern Puna, al- 
though certain elements such as the appearance of bronze can be 
drawn upon to establish connections. Only the Inca influence is clearly 
defined and widespread. 
Keeping in mind the problems inherent in dealing with a marginal 
area like ours, we suggest a division of the agricultural and pottery- 
making cultures into four periods (fig. 14) with the following gen- 
eral characteristics : 
Early or Initial Ceramic Period (200 B.C. to a.d. 700). This period 
begins with the introduction of pottery making and ends with the ap- 
pearance of the first Tiahuanacoid influences. The following com- 
plexes are included: Tafi, Cienaga, Condorhuasi, Candelaria I, Te- 
benquiche, Molle I and II, Pichalo I and II, Laguna Blanca, Otumpa, 
Culture of the Mounds (Megalithic), Chullpa-Pampa. It is probable 
