Formative Period Occupations in the Highlands of Northern Ecuador

Resumen

Valdivia-related ceramics found near Lake San Pablo (Imbabura) demonstrate that this area was in contact with coastal Ecuador prior to 2000 B.C. The interaction between the coast and highlands is attributed to the existence of trade routes which probably originated in preceramic times. It is suggested that coca was among the scarce resources which attracted trade to the northern highlands.