THE SITE OF PUMPUENTSA AND THE PASTAZA PHASE IN SOUTHEASTERN LOWLAND ECUADOR

Resumen

The Pumpuentsa archaeological site, located in the tropical lowlands of southeastern Ecuador, was discov ered during a brief reconnaissance in August of 1976 (Athens, 1985).1 The materials recovered from a small test excavation serve to highlight some of the problems in current interpretations of the Pastaza Phase with which the site seems to be affiliated. This article will review these problems as well as dis cuss findings from the Pumpuentsa site. The Pastaza Phase was first described by Porras (1975), who had conducted excavations at the Huasaga site, about 20 km. from the Pumpuentsa site (fig. 1). In his detailed and amply illustrated report, Porras identifies pottery with the combined use of incision and punctation as the most important diagnostic of this phase (Porres Garc?s, 1975, p. 129):2