A Worldwide Network for Comparative Studies on Caravans: Past, Present and Future

Clarkson, Persis B.; Santoro, Calógero M.; Levy, Thomas E.; Núñez, Láutaro; Nielsen, Axel; Rosen, Steven; Förster, Frank; Capriles, José M.; Khazanov, Anatoly M.; Frachetti, Michael; Valenzuela, Daniela; Standen, Vivien G.; Cases, Bárbara; Pimentel, Gonzalo; Lecoq, Patrice; Medinacelli, Ximena; Briones, Luis; Wink, André; Tripcevich, Nicholas; Riemer, Heiko; O’Ryan, Enelidolfo; Loayza, Ximena; Lynch, Thomas F.; Woldekiros, Helina

doi:10.4067/s0717-73562017000300001

Cited by 5 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…In particular, caravan ethnoarchaeology has been useful for studying the mechanisms of ancient exchange, trade, and transport, and for identifying the material traces of ancient trade in Egypt and the Andes (Berenguer 2004;Falola 1991;Förster 2007;Nielsen 2001;Smith 2005;Tripcevich 2008Tripcevich , 2016. In the Andes, caravan trade has been found to be an important livelihood of highland llama and alpaca herders (Clarkson et al 2017;Nielsen 2001;Valenzuela et al 2018). Furthermore, both contemporary and ancient Andean caravan trade has been shown to be interlinked with ideology, economics, and politics (Tripcevich 2016;Valenzuela et al 2018).…”

Section: Caravan Ethnoarchaeologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Route Most Traveled: The Afar Salt Trail, North Ethiopia

Woldekiros

2019

Chungará (Arica)

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In Africa and elsewhere, scholars have demonstrated that early social, political, and economic structures were shaped by salt production, distribution, and long-distance trade in areas where salt was a critical resource. However, despite salt's significant role in developing these structures, archaeological studies of the salt trade have focused almost exclusively on artifacts and historical text references. As a result, data on the diverse and complex routes through which this important commodity has traveled and the nature of its transportation are lacking. This paper examines evidence of ancient Aksumite (400 BC-900 AD) salt trade and exchange from the lowland Ethiopian deserts to the North Ethiopian and Eritrean highlands, drawing on recent ethnoarchaeological and archaeological fieldwork conducted in the Danakil Desert and Aksumite towns. The data reveal that the Afar salt trail passes through diverse regional ecozones, highland trader towns, and foothill towns, via several highland routes and one major lowland route. The study shows that caravaners followed the least costly path on the highland portion of the route, with ideal slopes for pack travel and plentiful water sources. The study also describes ancient caravan campsites dating to ca. 5th century CE and shows that participants differed in religion and identity.

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Section: Caravan Ethnoarchaeologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Route Most Traveled: The Afar Salt Trail, North Ethiopia

Woldekiros

2019

Chungará (Arica)

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“…In many areas of South America, llamas ( Lama glama ) are animals that have been used, and are currently used, as pack animals in caravans across the Andes. The practice of traveling in caravans where camels ( Camelidae ) play a central role is declining not only in the Andean Altiplano but also in other areas of the world (Clarkson et al 2017). The Camelidae family consists of seven species, including the Old World dromedary ( Camelus dromedarius ) and bactrian camels ( Camelus bactrianus ), as well as the South American species (vicuña: Vicugna vicugna ; guanaco: Lama guanicoe ; alpaca: Vicugna pacos ; and llama: Lama glama ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is widely recognized that caravans with animals require resources (trail routes, foraging and resting places, local fairs), yet these are in danger of disappearing altogether under pressure from modern development (Clarkson et al 2017). Most scholars on the theme of caravans are archaeologists (Clarkson et al 2017), and there are very few publications that investigate contemporary caravans (Nielsen 2000; Vilá 2015). Tripcevich (2008) made an interesting study on the physiology of the llamas while walking in a caravan.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the Brink of Extinction: Llama Caravans Arriving at the Santa Catalina Fair, Jujuy, Argentina

Vilá

2018

Journal of Ethnobiology

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The practice of using llama (Lama glama) caravans has decreased in Jujuy, northwestern Argentina, in recent years. Peasants, in this area known as pastores, llameros, or caravaneros, belong to Andean indigenous communities in Nor Lipez, Bolivia. The llameros, with their caravans, travel essentially to barter llama fiber in exchange for industrial food-products, mainly flour and sugar. The caravan trip to and from Santa Catalina takes an average of 12 days, five days going to and from the fair, and two days camping at the fair itself. These llameros belong to extended families that include young boys and women. Llameros have their own ethnotaxonomy and can recognize each animal of the troop. Today's llama caravans are pre-Hispanic in origin, thereby presenting collective continuance with the past. Yet caravans are disappearing given the ever more ubiquitous presence of vehicles, a trend that is also seen in other regions of the world. This paper presents a systematic study of the factors relating to the decline in the use of caravans in northwestern Argentina based on data collected from 2013 to 2017. Three reasons are offered (two socioeconomic and one environmental) to explain the observed decline: (a) the presence of a growing textile industry in Bolivia, with an increase in the demand for camelid fiber; (b) the improvement in living conditions in Bolivia; and (c) the drought that affected the area, with very little pasture for the animals on their route.

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“…What factors link the personality and actions of caravaners over time and space? (Clarkson et al 2017).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…When we consider the definition of caravans and caravanning -a lifeways focused upon moving goods over long distances with beasts of burden-additional case studies can provide insight into the entirety of a caravan journey: the planning, the participants, the goods moved (although these are generally invisible on the journey because they are end-point goods), the activities en route, the rest stops, etc. (Clarkson et al 2017).…”

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confidence: 99%

CARAVANS OF THE NORTH: A COMPARISON OF 20 th C CARAVANS IN NORTHERN CANADA AND NORTHERN CHILE

Clarkson

2019

Chungará (Arica)

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An examination of the historic caravans of northern Canada in the 20 th c reveals compelling historical, technological, economic, social, political, and kinship comparisons to the developments of caravans in northern Chile in the 20 th c. In Canada, the transport of goods across the northern reaches of the prairie provinces was spurred by mining and logging interests, and began with horses and donkeys, subsequently shifting to gasoline engine power when they became available, via "cat (caterpillar tractor) freight sleighs". In northern Chile, camelid caravans had been replaced in many instances by horse and donkey caravans to haul the goods required for mining copper and nitrate. As vehicles became available, the horse and donkey caravans were replaced at the same time that roads were built, often along the same trails that had been used by animal caravans for hundreds and thousands of years. While rapid and convenient vehicle transport is widely available in both Canada and Chile, transport that is dependent upon and limited by specific environmental parameters has not been universally replaced, and continues to fill important social, economic, political, and behavioural roles that can be considered in reviewing and reconstructing ancient caravan lifeways.

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A Worldwide Network for Comparative Studies on Caravans: Past, Present and Future

Cited by 5 publications

References 11 publications

The Route Most Traveled: The Afar Salt Trail, North Ethiopia

The Route Most Traveled: The Afar Salt Trail, North Ethiopia

On the Brink of Extinction: Llama Caravans Arriving at the Santa Catalina Fair, Jujuy, Argentina

CARAVANS OF THE NORTH: A COMPARISON OF 20 th C CARAVANS IN NORTHERN CANADA AND NORTHERN CHILE

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