New Insights into the Tiwanaku Style of Snuff Trays from San Pedro de Atacama, Northern Chile

A new definition for the Tiwanaku style of snuff trays, based on three distinct morphological features—trapezoidal shape, incurving sides, and sharp top corners—reveals that such trays form a cohesive group distinct from local San Pedro-style trays. This finding, supported by principal component analysis, suggests that shape is a critical trait for style classification, irrespective of iconography. The study also indicates that during the Middle period in San Pedro de Atacama, four main types of snuff trays coexisted: Tiwanaku-style with and without iconography, and local San Pedro-style with and without iconography. This co-occurrence raises intriguing questions about the social implications of style diversity.

Hermann M. Niemeyer, Diego Salazar, Helena Horta Tricallotis, & Francisco T. Peña-Gómez. (2015). New Insights into the Tiwanaku Style of Snuff Trays from San Pedro de Atacama, Northern Chile. Latin American Antiquity, 26(1), 120–136. https://doi.org/10.7183/1045-6635.26.1.120