When the Past Lives in the Present. Agrarian Landscapes and Historical Social Dynamics in the Southern Andes (Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina)
This article examines the agrarian landscape in one part of the southern Andes (Quebrada of Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina). The region possesses extensive and well-preserved archaeological remains of agricultural systems, which stretch back to pre-Hispanic times. In this study, we employ an interdisci...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-06-01
|
| Series: | Land |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/7/687 |
| _version_ | 1797528288444284928 |
|---|---|
| author | Pablo Cruz Nancy Egan Richard Joffre Jorge L. Cladera Thierry Winkel |
| author_facet | Pablo Cruz Nancy Egan Richard Joffre Jorge L. Cladera Thierry Winkel |
| author_sort | Pablo Cruz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article examines the agrarian landscape in one part of the southern Andes (Quebrada of Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina). The region possesses extensive and well-preserved archaeological remains of agricultural systems, which stretch back to pre-Hispanic times. In this study, we employ an interdisciplinary approach in our analysis of the components that structure the agrarian landscape, especially those historical processes that intervened in its formation. The creation of a cartographic base, built from remote sensing and fieldwork data, allowed for the identification of four principal components of the landscape, each of which correspond to distinct phases or periods that mark the region’s history. Our study shows that, in contrast to what is observed in many other rural areas, the successive productive dynamics that developed in the area did not result in the destruction of previous productive structures. Rather, the agrarian landscape in the study area presents a multi-temporal agglutinating combination or composition, which transcends historical discontinuities in the productive matrix. This is owing to the partial reutilisation of previous structures in each period; however, religious and cultural factors play an important role. The agrarian landscape we studied is not only a passive result of human activity, but also a force influencing the productive and lifestyle decisions of the peasant populations that live there today. Our research amplifies the understanding of agrarian landscapes in the Andes and shows how past temporalities are articulated with the present through a dialectical process. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:56:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-be557700146b421badfa244f40065fc5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:56:05Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-be557700146b421badfa244f40065fc52023-11-22T02:21:05ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2021-06-0110768710.3390/land10070687When the Past Lives in the Present. Agrarian Landscapes and Historical Social Dynamics in the Southern Andes (Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina)Pablo Cruz0Nancy Egan1Richard Joffre2Jorge L. Cladera3Thierry Winkel4UE CISOR CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Jujuy, Jujuy 4600, ArgentinaUE CISOR CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Jujuy, Jujuy 4600, ArgentinaCentre d’Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, l’École Pratique des Hautes Études, l’Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Univ Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, FranceUBA–FFyL, Instituto Interdisciplinario Tilcara, Tilcara 4624, ArgentinaCentre d’Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, l’École Pratique des Hautes Études, l’Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Univ Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, FranceThis article examines the agrarian landscape in one part of the southern Andes (Quebrada of Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina). The region possesses extensive and well-preserved archaeological remains of agricultural systems, which stretch back to pre-Hispanic times. In this study, we employ an interdisciplinary approach in our analysis of the components that structure the agrarian landscape, especially those historical processes that intervened in its formation. The creation of a cartographic base, built from remote sensing and fieldwork data, allowed for the identification of four principal components of the landscape, each of which correspond to distinct phases or periods that mark the region’s history. Our study shows that, in contrast to what is observed in many other rural areas, the successive productive dynamics that developed in the area did not result in the destruction of previous productive structures. Rather, the agrarian landscape in the study area presents a multi-temporal agglutinating combination or composition, which transcends historical discontinuities in the productive matrix. This is owing to the partial reutilisation of previous structures in each period; however, religious and cultural factors play an important role. The agrarian landscape we studied is not only a passive result of human activity, but also a force influencing the productive and lifestyle decisions of the peasant populations that live there today. Our research amplifies the understanding of agrarian landscapes in the Andes and shows how past temporalities are articulated with the present through a dialectical process.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/7/687agrarian landscapeAndeslandscape mappingpre-Hispanic agricultureSpanish colonial periodpeasant dynamics |
| spellingShingle | Pablo Cruz Nancy Egan Richard Joffre Jorge L. Cladera Thierry Winkel When the Past Lives in the Present. Agrarian Landscapes and Historical Social Dynamics in the Southern Andes (Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina) Land agrarian landscape Andes landscape mapping pre-Hispanic agriculture Spanish colonial period peasant dynamics |
| title | When the Past Lives in the Present. Agrarian Landscapes and Historical Social Dynamics in the Southern Andes (Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina) |
| title_full | When the Past Lives in the Present. Agrarian Landscapes and Historical Social Dynamics in the Southern Andes (Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina) |
| title_fullStr | When the Past Lives in the Present. Agrarian Landscapes and Historical Social Dynamics in the Southern Andes (Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina) |
| title_full_unstemmed | When the Past Lives in the Present. Agrarian Landscapes and Historical Social Dynamics in the Southern Andes (Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina) |
| title_short | When the Past Lives in the Present. Agrarian Landscapes and Historical Social Dynamics in the Southern Andes (Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina) |
| title_sort | when the past lives in the present agrarian landscapes and historical social dynamics in the southern andes quebrada de humahuaca jujuy argentina |
| topic | agrarian landscape Andes landscape mapping pre-Hispanic agriculture Spanish colonial period peasant dynamics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/7/687 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pablocruz whenthepastlivesinthepresentagrarianlandscapesandhistoricalsocialdynamicsinthesouthernandesquebradadehumahuacajujuyargentina AT nancyegan whenthepastlivesinthepresentagrarianlandscapesandhistoricalsocialdynamicsinthesouthernandesquebradadehumahuacajujuyargentina AT richardjoffre whenthepastlivesinthepresentagrarianlandscapesandhistoricalsocialdynamicsinthesouthernandesquebradadehumahuacajujuyargentina AT jorgelcladera whenthepastlivesinthepresentagrarianlandscapesandhistoricalsocialdynamicsinthesouthernandesquebradadehumahuacajujuyargentina AT thierrywinkel whenthepastlivesinthepresentagrarianlandscapesandhistoricalsocialdynamicsinthesouthernandesquebradadehumahuacajujuyargentina |