Il sito de Las Orquídeas (Imbabura) nell’ambito del periodo formativo tardo (800 – 400 a.C.) nel nord del Ecuador. Sequenza stratigrafica e cronologia.

The purpose of this research is to create a chrono-typological background using the strata sequence of Las Orquídeas - Los Soles site in Imbabura – Ecuador for the Late Formative Period 800-400 a.C. The main objectives proposed in this work aim to understand the morphological evolution processes of the ceramic during the sequence, and to define the main characteristics of the interaction between the studied site and the surrounding geographical regions (Pacific Coast, Highlands and Amazonia rainforest). To achieve these objectives, the strata sequence was meticulously reconstructed. The chrono-typological study focused on identifying features on ceramics in order to determine if they can be defined as “guide fossils”. Combining both chrono-typological and stratigraphical sequences, along with the results obtained from radiocarbon techniques, has allowed to identify the main ceramic types by phase and to assign them a chronological value.