por The first settlers of Ecuador They were indigenous peoples that existed before the Inca conquest. It is estimated that they reached the territory of Ecuador 13,500 years ago. They were nomadic tribes who survived by hunting and gathering fruits.
They came from regions in the north of the continent and settled forming clans of no more than 80 members, which constituted the first settlements in what is now considered Ecuador.
This era is divided into several periods of historical evolution: Pre-ceramic, Formative, Regional Development and Integration or Inca.
Preceramic period
That era extends approximately from the last ice age to 4200-4000 BC, within a larger historical period, known as Paleoamerican.
In turn, it is divided into several stadiums or stations: Las Vegas, Chobshi, El Punin, Cubilán and El Inga. From this period there are skeletal and archaeological remains that testify to the presence of communities in this region around 3000 BC.
Thanks to these discoveries, we know that spears and arrows were already used. The wood also began to be used for the construction of farm implements and hunting tools.
Formative Period, or agropottery
This was the next historical stage of the first settlers of Ecuador. As its name indicates, pottery is a characteristic element of this period. They were the precursors of this discipline in the American continent.
There is no unanimity about the temporal extension of the period, but it is estimated that it lasted until 1350 AD. The main cultures present in this historic stadium were Valdivia, Machalilla and Chorrera.
Regional Development Period, or agromining
This stage marks the beginning of internal migrations in the territory of present-day Ecuador. Regional movements of the settlers are registered. Also, at this time the first divisions or differences in the political organization of indigenous peoples developed.
The different customs and ways of life of the inhabitants of different areas led to divide them into groups: the Bahía culture, the Chimba culture and the Jama-Coaque culture.
Integration Period, or Inca
This was the last historical stage of the first settlers of Ecuador. The Inca conquest put an end to it and began another period, until the Spanish conquest and colonization.
It is the period of development of geographic poles of a certain size and importance. In strategic places, such as the coast or the mountains, the first cities arose. There are political divisions into states and lordships.
The inhabitants of Ecuador at this time are divided into many ethnic or cultural groups. Some of the most important are:
keep us: They inhabited the territory of the current city of Manta. They built thrones and worked gold and silver. They were very religious and worshiped the snake.
huancavilcas: A legend about this town gives its name to the current city of Guayaquil. They were a warrior race with very marked physical features.
Caranquis-Cayambes: built stepped pyramids for religious and spiritual purposes.
Canaris: Famous for their pottery, goldsmithing and for being great merchants. There are vestiges of their presence even in the territories of present-day Bolivia and Peru.
avocados: They were a group of tribes. They were the first conquered by the Incas.
References
Ecuador. Recovered from britannica.com.
History of Ecuador. Retrieved from lonelyplate.com.
Karl Dieter Gartelmann (1986). Digging up Prehistory: The Archeology of Ecuador.