User:GreenLipstickLesbian/Guangala culture

The Guangala culture is an Ecuadorian pre-Columbian culture. Archaeological sites from this culture are found along the coast of Ecuador, from the sourthern parts of the Manabí province to the village of Chanduy. Their eastern border was marked by the Chongon Colonche Range.

Their houses were possibly thatched, and built via the wattle and daub process.

Life
Ridged bowls and grinding mano and metate stones, likely used to process corn and cassava, have been found. Betty Meggers points to these as evidence of agriculture.

Fishhooks and darts, some made from shell, indicate they hunted, fished, and ate sea-food like other nearby cultures.

Artefacts found at Guangala sites include various ceramics, stone or shell chisels and celts, copper needles, copper and shell fish-hooks, spindle whorls, whistles, pottery stamps, small five-pointed star shaped pieces of pottery. Modern scholars do not know the significance of these stars.

Burials
Numerous burial sites have been found, often located beneath Guangala houses. Some burials contain grave goods such as tools and pottery vessels. Grave goods appear to have been based on sex, but no other distinction between burials sites has been found or agreed upon.

Ceramics
Many ceramic bowls and vessels from the Guangala culture have survived to modern day. These artefacts can be distinguished by when they were made, due to increasing levels of sophistication amongst Guangala artisans. Jars, bowls, vessels, and bottles have all been found, but bottles are the rarest. Pottery was often painted or burnt black, black and red, or white and red. Geometric decoration is common, but stylized bird motifs have been seen on some artefacts. Applique was used, but mostly confined to tetrapod bowls. The legs of these bowls were often stylized as unhappy-looking humans.

Figurines
While not as ornate as figurines found in other cultures, such as the Jama-Coaque culture or the Bahia culture, numerous Guangala figurines have been found. They can be divided into multiple styles, as laid out by Meggers. Some figurines wear simple clothes and jewelry, especially nose and ear-rings, and these could provide evidence as to what types of clothing the Guangala people wore.

The first style is abstract, rectangular, and short, with decorative lines running up and down the shape. They are humanoid, but may appear male, female, or neither.

The second style is a large-eared, human-shaped, whistle, with the mouthpiece located in the front of the groin. These figurines are nude except for a collar, with slits to represent eyes and mouth.

The third style is more realistic, perhaps due to influence from other cultures, with realistic facial details. These figurines can be standing or sitting, some holding children. Made from molds, they typically are the tallest of the figurines.

Whistles and flutes in the forms of animals, such as birds and dogs, have also been found. These are mostly ceramic, but some deer-bone flutes are known to exists.

Meggers draws parallels between Guangala pottery and Chorerra pottery, saying that the Guangala pottery is "traceable to Chorrera Phase antecedents."