Emergence of social complexity among coastal hunter-gatherers in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile

Artificial mummification emerged among the Chinchorro culture during a period of increased coastal freshwater availability and marine productivity, which likely drove population growth and accelerated cultural innovation. This study provides empirical and theoretical evidence linking environmental conditions to the development of complex mortuary practices in hunter-gatherer societies. Using a demographic model, researchers suggest that extreme aridity, leading to minimal corpse decomposition, may have made dead individuals a significant part of the landscape, prompting manipulation and the emergence of sophisticated burial techniques.

Marquet, P. A., Santoro, C. M., Latorre, C., Standen, V. G., Abades, S. R., Rivadeneira, M. M., Arriaza, B., & Hochberg, M. E. (2012). Emergence of social complexity among coastal hunter-gatherers in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(37), 14754–14760. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1116724109