16th century’s South America was witness to the Spanish invasion and thus began the European colonization. At that time the Indians in the dry desert regions along the Pacific coast had developed many advanced agricultural systems of which one technique consisted of sunken fields, which are still in use in some locations. The following paper deals with recent archaeological and anthropological investigations giving new insight in Pre-Columbian agricultural history and will hopefully add and inspire others to do research for comparative studies of similar types of sunken fields known from Micronesia [Cushing Falanruw 1994] Spain [Mørch 1989], and Algeria [Soldi 1982]. The end of my paper will address the case of Algeria very shortly. However literature on the subject is very spread and inadequate.
Brack Egg, Antonio, Diccionario Enciclopedico de plantas utiles del Peru. PNUD,1999, p.549.
Campana, Cristóbal, Chan Chan del Chimo.Editorial Orus, Peru, 2006.
Cushing Falanow, Margie V, Food Production and Ecosystem Management on Yap. ISLA: A Journal of Micronesien Studies, 2,1:5-22. University of Guam, 1994.
Moseley, Edward M, Assessing the Archaeological Significance of Mahamaes. American Antiquity, Vol. 34, No.4:485-487, 1969.
Mosely, Michael E. and Kent C.Day, Chan Chan Andean Desert City. University of New Mexico Press. 1982.
Nace, Raymond, Man’s perpetual quest for water. Unesco Courier 1970:4-11.
Parsons, Jeffrey R., The Archaeological Significance of Mahamaes Cultivation on the Coast of Peru. American Antiquity. Vol.33,no.1:80-85, 1968.
Parsons, Jeffrey R. et N.P. Psut, Sunken Fields and Prehispanic Subsistence on the Peruvian Coast. American Antiquity. Vol.40.No.3:259-282, 1975.
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Subsistence Systems in the Chimú State. in Moseley and Day: Chan Chan, Andean Desert City. Ed. M. Moseley and K. Day. University of New M79.exico Press, 177-196, 1987.
Smith, Richard T., The development and Role of Sunken Field Agriculture on the Peruvian Coast. The Geographical Journal, vol. 145:387-400, 1979.
Soldi, Ana Mari, La agricultura tradicional en hoyas. Pontificia Universidad Católica del Peru, 1982
Topic, John R. and Theresa L. Topic,The rise and decline of Cerro Amaru: an Andean shrine during the early intermediate period and middle horizon in Ancient images, ancient thought: the archaeology of ideology, Ed: A. Sean Goldsmith et al, Univ. of Calgary archaeological association, Calgary, Cananda, p 167-180, 1992.
Topic, Theresa L y John R. Topic, Arquitectura en Chan Chan en Chan Chan: Chimú Metropoli, ed: Rogger Ravines, Institute de Estudios Peruanos, Lima, Perú, 1980.
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