La zooarqueología y el estudio de la complejización social en las sociedades prehispánicas de Colombia: Algunas deudas pendientes

Abstract

Based on an analysis of the existing literature on complex pre-Hispanic societies in Colombia and taking as an example the results of some archaeological research in particular, this article analyzes the contribution that zooarchaeological studies have had to the understand- ing and analysis of models proposed to explain sociocultural changes from a broad temporal perspective. It is concluded that, at present, although there is clearly a greater awareness of the need to involve multiple lines of evidence to study this topic, and on the important contribution of disciplines such as zooarchaeology to the interpretation of these processes, its potential is still underutilized. This is because there is usually no articulation from the beginning of the inves- tigations between zooarchaeological questions and archaeological questions in general, and on the other hand, due to the inescapable task of taking precautions and methodological corrections that implies recognizing that zooarchaeological samples are the reflection of a multiplicity of moments and processes that must be investigated in the context of the different sites, in order to avoid biases of interpretation and in turn to potentiate the scope of their contributions.