A comparison between marine and terrestrial samples for the creation of a radiocarbon Chinchorro culture sequence at Morro de Arica, south-central Andean coast, Chile

Abstract Recent archaeological studies carried out at Morro de Arica, on the Pacific coast of the south-central Andean area, traditional burial core of the Chinchorro culture (∼7000−3000 cal BP), have enabled a comparative analysis of radiocarbon dates from burial and domestic spaces, considering the differences between dated marine and terrestrial samples. Consequently, we refined the chronological sequence of the Chinchorro culture and obtained a delta reservoir effect of up to 176±113 years, allowing for interpretation of the impact of stratigraphic alterations and pottery fills on the archaeological site’s formation.