FUNERARY AND DOMESTIC CONTEXTS AT THE LA ISLA ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE, ECUADOR

In this article, we analyze the funerary contexts of the La Isla site (M3E4-024) in the province of Manabí, Ecuador. These are associated with the Regional Development (500 BC - AD 500) and Integration (AD 500 - 1532) occupational periods. They were excavated during a rescue intervention conducted by the authors in 2019. The findings detailed here have allowed us to determine the type, characteristics, and population distribution of the burials found. After evaluating the excavated material, we propose that the funerary traditions of both periods indicate significant changes in the conceptualization of funerary spaces by local societies, reflecting profound sociocultural transformations. These conclusions are supported by various studies, including bioarchaeological and morpho-functional ceramic analyses which contributed to the interpretations.