ABSTRACT

Through the analysis of pottery, archaeologists are able to gain insight into the society of an ancient civilization. Ceramics that may have belonged to the Guangala, a people that lived between 100 B.C. and 800 A.D., were uncovered at an excavation site in Ecuador . It is believed that these vessels may have been used in the production, storage, and serving of chicha, a light beer that was instrumental in the everyday life of the Guangala. The sherds of pottery found at the excavation site were reconstructed and analyzed using functional analyses . Through comparative analysis, it has been found that the measurements of the pottery appear to match the dimensions of pottery known to have been used for chicha. Further research in the form of residue analysis can now be conducted to verify these results.