Of pipes and substances: fumatorial customs during the formative period in the desert coast of Atacama (north of Chile)

Abstract

Smoking pipes found in funerary contexts on the Atacama Desert coast suggest that the custom of smoking was widespread among hunter-gatherers and fishermen during the Formative (1500 B.C.- cal A.D. 1000). The substances smoked and their provenience have remained unknown until now. This knowledge is essential for understanding smoking as part of the functioning and the reproduction of social groups among these early coastal populations. Here we report on the archaeobotanical and chemical analysis of internal residue front four inverted-T lithic pipes recovered from a cemetery near the coastal city of Anto-fagasta, in northern Chile. We also carried out chemical analyses of human hair belonging to one of the individuals with whom the pipes had been interred. Analysis of residue from inside the pipes revealed the presence of nicotine and other substances, as well as micro-remains of Nicotiana and other plant species. Nicotine was also detected in the hair sample from the buried individual. We discuss the implications of these results for understanding the availability of resources and the mobility strategies, exchange relationships, and lifestyles of these littoral communities.