K (2003) Inca expansion and parasitism in the Lluta Valley: preliminary data. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 98

Assessing the impact of cultural change on parasitism has been a central goal in archaeoparasitology. The influence of civilization and the development of empires on parasitism has not been evaluated. Presented here is a preliminary analysis of the change in human parasitism associated with the Inca conquest of the Lluta Valley in Northern Chile. Changes in parasite prevalence are described. It can be seen that the change in life imposed on the inhabitants of the Lluta Valley by the Incas caused an increase in parasitism. Key words: Inca- disease- archaeoparasitology- Chile Parasite evidence from archaeological sites has been shown to provide unique insights into behavior and dis-ease (Reinhard 1988, 1992a). The prevalence of parasites in coprolites is related to subsistence behaviors, settle-ment patterns, and sanitation. These in turn are influ-enced by large scale cultural developments such as agri-culture, urbanism, and the development of complex social systems. There are many examples of how archaeopara-sitology has shown the relation of behavior to emergenc