The archaeology of the Upper Madeira within the archaeological context of Amazonia

Abstract This article reviews the data currently available on the area downstream of the waterfalls on the Upper Madeira River. This is a key segment of the largest tributary of the Amazon River, with headwaters in the Central Andres: it is comprised of the union of the Mamoré, Beni, and Madre de Dios, three great rivers flowing from Bolivia and Peru. Comparative analysis suggests that the archaeology in the area downstream of the waterfalls of the Madeira River bears more resemblance to patterns observed in central Amazonia than in the region upstream. On the other hand, the Upper Madeira also features elements related to the surrounding cultural diversity. We consequently suggest that the waterfalls acted as an enduring boundary throughout the Late Holocene, connecting regions with distinct cultural patterns within Amazonia.

摘要 本综述梳理了当前马代拉河上游瀑布下游区域的可获取数据。该区域作为亚马孙河最大支流的关键河段，其源头坐落于安第斯中部，由源自玻利维亚与秘鲁的马莫雷河（Mamoré）、贝尼河（Beni）与马德雷德迪奥斯河（Madre de Dios）三条大型河流汇流组成。对比分析显示，马代拉河瀑布下游区域的考古学文化，与亚马孙中部地区的文化模式相似度远高于其与上游区域的相似度。另一方面，马代拉河上游区域亦蕴含与周边文化多样性相关的文化特征。据此我们提出，在全新世晚期，这些瀑布始终作为持久的分界屏障，维系着亚马孙内部不同文化模式区域间的关联。