Post-marital residence patterns in the prehistoric population of Arica (Chile)

In ancient and living societies, the prevalence of a survival strategy based on a kinship system with a matrilocal residence model prevails. The ancient population of the Azapa valley and coast provides a unique opportunity to analyze social relationships and to establish the pattern of post-marital residence and its evolution supported by population development and adaptation to changes that occurred over a period of 5000 years. In this study, a sample of 305 individuals of both sexes exhumed from the coast and the Azapa valley regions, and belonging to five chronological periods established on the basis of archeological indicators, was investigated. Twenty-nine craniometric variables were analyzed through a discriminant function analysis and the evaluation of the variance within and between groups based on the Fst statistic by period and sex. The results obtained show the existence of significant statistical differences in the tests carried out, indicating a social structure based on a bilocal residence pattern transitioning to a matrilocal model.