Manejo del agua en el antiguo Ecuador

Abstract

Since early times, the Indian societies of Ancient Ecuador devised very complex resources in order to manage the surplus and/or the scarcity of irrigation water. They were able to grow soils with strong slopes or swamps by construction of efficient irrigation systems, «andenes» or terraces, cisterns and elevated fields or «camellones». In the other hand, they found a way to evacuate the rain water and to make use of the slopes for town planning. The water has too an important place in their worldview and its therapeutic value was used building ceremonial ponds and baths.