The “Hunting” Economies of the Tropical Forest Zone of South America: An Attempt at Historical Perspective

Abstract

The Amazon Basin contains the largest block of tropical rain forest in the world. At the time of the first European contact, the Amazon Basin showed a considerable range of cultural pattern in terms of size and complexity of social units, complexity of material culture, and even in basic patterns of subsistence activity. The flood plain of the main stream of the Amazon and of its major tributaries sustained large, sedentary populations engaged in intensive root-crop farming combined with fishing and the hunting of aquatic mammals and reptiles. A more intense orientation to hunting the relatively scarce game available led to more nomadism, a decline in agricultural productivity, and a still greater dependence on wild food. The demographic and cultural situation in the slightly elevated regions between the major rivers was in sharp contrast to that of the flood plains.

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