ATACAMES CULTURE (700 AD - 1526 AD) Culture is the expression Atacames northernmost Integration Period in Ecuador.

It is located in the province of Esmeraldas, and has been defined primarily by archaeological excavations Atacames sites, Balao and Tonsupa, all on the waterfront. Atacames-Castelnuovo: The site that defined the culture that comment. Atacames Bay opens on the coast to 20.5 km to the south of the mouth of the Esmeraldas River and covers an area of 6 km The site occupies approximately 127 hectares, where 65 house mounds were located in the Hacienda Castelnuovo, although there is evidence of many others. There are two tolas distinguished by the type of material associated, E-69 and E86, which include ornamental artifacts or conspicuous type and ceremonial. Alcina suggests that it could be temples, on the other hand, E-101 and E-86 also served as a burial. Atacames culture descended from the Teaone and two in the Tolita, had their settlement in the coastal zone, into which two subphases chronological: Early Atacames 750 to 1100 AD (CE), and Late Atacames from 1100 to 1527 AD During this time the social organization became more complex with the domain of local chiefs, regional lordships dependent since centralized power was based on the collection of tribes. There the local chieftains controlled the production of manufactured goods, blankets, beads, pottery and jewelry, and was channeled over MantenoHuancavilcas manors. According to accounts of the chroniclers, Atacames functioned as a trading port controlled by a chief himself, who maintained a regime of commercial obligations Salangone. Occupation progressive The large number of leaflets (each of hard and movable parts that make up the shells of mollusks) spondylus appearing on Atacames Bay, show that they were captured and then be replaced with other products. During the early phase of Atacames, was occupied coastal incoming progressive with a population of 5000 inhabitants. While in the late phase, the settlers had a specialized coastal adaptation, were located along the river Teaone, preferably towards the coast. The number of people than doubled, implying technological change in food production. The exploitation of living aquatic resources provided to the population stable.

Economic Base But agriculture was undoubtedly the economic base of the society, which over the years had stylistic and technological changes in pottery. Relate metals Teaone culture, although the ceramic shows a surface finish made with little care. The paste has a crushed shell temper and brown sand; also his cooking is defective in inadequately controlled in color. While common decoration is the frosting and red painting. The human figures are crude and have earrings and necklaces made with pastillajes. BOX DEPOSITS The archaeological sites of greatest concentration are: Puerto Gaviota, Tonsupa and Atacames. The most important people were located in the coastal zone and on the bank of the river. The increase in population was critical to the management and exploitation of resources. Atacames The site is one of the largest and is located 25 kilometers from Esmeraldas, near the mouth of the river Atacames. The prehistoric settlement occupies 2 square kilometers. The population has more than sixty mounds of different morphology. The main research in this field have made it possible to distinguish two phases: Early Atacames (700-1100 AD) and Late Atacames (1100-1526 AD). The latter traits intensify as outlined in the first and is linked to the Balao phase. The settlement, as was seen by the Spanish in 1527, was a large village with 1000 or 1500 houses, streets, squares. As expressly stated, but probably overrated, this heavy population Xerez says that they "came out more than ten thousand Indian warriors." Balao (E-1) located on a small cliff, near the estuary of the same name, shows a spread-type settlement in this Atacames difference, besides the lack of luxury ceramics. The similarity of the ordinary types of Atacames suggests that it is a village or station dependent, possibly fishermen who were engaged smoked and fish market with inland populations, or even older coastal settlements. Balao has been dated between 860 and 1390 A.D. Tonsupa: site also investigated by the Spanish Archaeological Mission in the 70s, which provided data of interest to define Atacames phase. In the basin of the same estuary and surrounding hills other sites were located outside the Balao phase: Totumo (E-18), Talambo (E-19), Crab (E-20), Arenas (E21), The Cornfield ( E-22, etc.).

Tonsupa: site also investigated by the Spanish Archaeological Mission in the 70s, which provided data of interest to define Atacames phase. In the basin of the same estuary and surrounding hills other sites were located outside the Balao phase: Totumo (E-18), Talambo (E-19), Crab (E-20), Arenas (E21), The Cornfield ( E-22, etc.).