Stone and wooden statues in Manteсa-Huancavilca culture, Ecuador

Manteсa-Huancavilca culture (650-1532 according to radiocarbon dates) round out the varied sequence of Prespain pre-state formations in coastal part of Ecuador (the modern Santa Elena, Guayas, Manabi provinces). M. Saville the american archaeologist had gotten the early records of this culture in the course of excavation at the Cerro Jaboncillo, Cerro de Ojas and Cerro Montecristi sites. The series of international projects at the Agua Blanca, Salango, Loma de los Congrejitos, Jocay and others came after that. Besides the original agricultural technologies, pottery and metal manufactory, as well as complicated burial constructions, it was notable for developed seafaring and unique complex of monumental statues made of stone, shell rock (U-shape thrones, altars with zoomorphic insignia, geometrical bonds, idols) and dead-hard wood (totem poles with anthropomorphic and zoomorphic complex compositions). The overwhelming majority of these statues are located at the tops of mountains, hills and highest elevations in pursuance of function of the key ritual objects and territorial markers in “Manteсa confederation ” simultaneously. The analysis how the markers are allocated in the area of culture spreading supports that “Huancavilca ” and “Manteсa ” distributed geographically. It is observed among the other categories of archaeological artifacts and accorded with co-existence of the several chiefdoms into confederation. The native population perceives the Manteсa-Huancavilca stone statues as the bearers of special magic power, mediators between people and their ancestors, and mounts the statues on central squares of municipalities and holds sacred on a par with Christian relics.