A gradual transition to crop consumption, especially maize, is suggested. This complemented the earlier hunter-gatherer tradition of marine resources and wild fruit consumption. Contrarily to the predictions made by some archaeologists, the results obtained for northern Chile contrast with the classical perspective of a "Neolithic Revolution" in which transition to agriculture occurred more abruptly and linearly.

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The Late Intermediate period (LIP, AD 1000–1450) in the South Central Andes is commonly characterized by an increase in violence. Here, we analyse evidence to test whether the population that inhabited the oasis of Pica (Region of Tarapacá, Northern Chile) during LIP was engaged in violent warfare. The analysis of 96 individuals showed a low prevalence of violence‐related injuries (N = 6/96). Facial traumas observed on females could be a result of domestic violence, whereas nasal traumas found in males could be interpreted as a result of ritualized combats. One male exhibits a point embedded in his first right rib which is the only injury that can be attributed to open intergroup combat. These findings, combined with the mortuary characteristics of the Pica 8 cemetery, the lack of defensive constructions at the site, the settlement pattern and the iconography, do not support the existence of war at Pica during the LIP. The weapons found at Pica 8 cemetery are elaborately decorated, and many are clearly useless in combat so they were likely not made to be used in open conflicts. In addition, clothes considered to belong to warriors may be alternately interpreted as garments used for ceremonial purpose. Taking into account the belligerent climate in contemporaneous San Pedro de Atacama, we suggest that the Pica population employed ritualized violence as a means of avoiding larger conflicts or war. We propose that male violence in controlled scenarios permitted the sublimation of social inequalities or internal conflicts, and could have been used in order to create and maintain social stability. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

ResumenEl objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar la distribución por sexo, edad y longevidad de los individuos adultos de la colección esqueletal cementerio Pica 8 (82 individuos), perteneciente al Complejo Pica Tarapacá, Norte Grande de Chile. Respecto al sexo, se utilizaron los métodos de Buikstra y colaboradores para coxales y Ferembach y colaboradores para el cráneo, con lo que se pudo estimar el sexo de toda la muestra (35 masculinos; 47 femeninos). Respecto a la estimación de la edad, se utilizaron los métodos de Brooks y Suchey para la sínfisis púbica y Lovejoy para la superficie auricular del ilion.Éstos presentaron estimaciones similares hasta los 39 años, pero difirieron posteriormente. Se discute la presencia de individuos seniles en este Complejo Cultural, ya que abre interesantes interrogantes sobre su rol cultural. En este sentido, es importante complementar la investigación, utilizando una visión desde la paleogerontología y en general, una visión a partir de la antropología de las edades, que podría contribuir más a la comprensión de este Complejo Cultural. Palabras claves:Complejo Pica Tarapacá -estimación de sexo -estimación de la edad de muerte -longevidad. AbstractThe aim of this paper was to study the age, sex and longevity distributions of adult skeletons from Pica 8 skeletal collection (82 skeletons), belonging to the Pica Tarapacá Complex, Northern Chile. Regarding sex estimation, we utilized Buikstra and colleagues' method for the os coxae bone and Ferembach and colleagues' method for cranial estimation was utilized. With these methods sex was estimated for all the sample (35 males, 47 females). Concerning age estimation, Brooks and Suchey method for pubic symphysis and Lovejoy method for iliac auricular surface were utilized. Both methods showed similar estimations until 39 years old, but differed beyond this age. The presence of senile individuals in this cultural complex is discussed as it opens interesting venues of research about their cultural role. In this sense, it is important to complement the research with a paleo gerontologic focus and in general, a focus from the Anthropology of Aging, which could contribute more to understanding of this cultural complex.

Individuals with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are potentially at increased vulnerability during the Covid-19 pandemic and require additional help to reduce risk. Self-management is one effective strategy and this study investigated the effect of sociodemographic and health factors on the self-management of some non-communicable diseases, namely hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia, among Chilean adults during the Covid-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional telephone survey was carried out on 910 participants with NCDs, from Santiago, Chile. An adapted and validated version of the “Partners in Health” scale was used to measure self-management. Exploratory Factor analysis yielded five dimensions of this scale: Disease Knowledge, Healthcare Team Relationship, General Self-Management and Daily Routines, Drug Access and Intake, and Monitoring and Decision-Making. The average of these dimensions was calculated to create a new variable Self-Management Mean, which was used as a dependent variable together with the five separate dimensions. Independent variables included age, gender, years of schooling, number of diseases, the percentage of Multidimensional Poverty Index in the commune of residence, and self-rated health status. Beta regressions and ANOVA for the Beta regression residuals were utilized for analyses. Beta regression model explained 8.1% of the variance in Self-Management Mean. Age, years of schooling, number of diseases and self-rated health status were statistically associated with Self-Management Mean and dimensions related to daily routines and health decision making, such as Disease Knowledge, General Self-Management and Daily Routines, and Monitoring and Decision-Making. Gender and the percentage of Multidimensional Poverty Index in the commune of residence were insignificant. Strategies for self-management of NCDs during a crisis should consider age, years of schooling, number of diseases, and self-rated health status in their design.

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