In this study, we assess competing interpretations of a burnt ceremonial structure from the terminal Middle Formative period (ca. 300–100 BCE) by analyzing the stepped platform mound at Chiripa, Bolivia, through a systematic reconstruction of the fire that destroyed it. We developed a model of potential fire pathways, their social contexts, and material indicators. Our approach contrasts incipient fires from accident or arson to planned fires initiated for functional or social ends. We assessed these pathways for the Chiripa mound fire through experimental, geoarchaeological, faunal, and botanical data. Experiments were aimed at deducing the temperature, duration, and oxidation conditions of the fire. The fire temperature and duration were approximated from geoarchaeological analyses of construction materials in comparison with controls, and thermal alteration of faunal bone. Fuels were reconstructed through paleoethnobotanical analysis of charred remains from discrete areas within the burnt structure. We conclude that an intentional fire burned the structures on the Chiripa mound to temperatures of 700 °C or higher under oxidizing conditions for several hours. The pattern of heat-altered materials recovered would have required a substantial supplemental fuel load. At the 3840 masl elevation of Chiripa, the effective control of a high temperature oxidizing fire demonstrates technical expertise in fire management. Our findings indicate the fire appears intentional, likely a ritual event. We believe the structures were burned to facilitate a socio-political change during a period of social transition at the end of the Middle Formative period in Bolivia.

在这项研究中，我们通过分析玻利维亚奇里帕的阶梯式平台土堆，通过对摧毁它的火灾进行系统重建，评估了对中期形成末期（约公元前 300-100 年）燃烧仪式结构的相互竞争的解释。我们开发了一个潜在火灾路径、其社会背景和材料指标的模型。我们的方法将事故或纵火的初期火灾与计划中的火灾进行对比为功能或社会目的而引发的火灾。我们通过实验、地质考古、动物和植物学数据评估了 Chiripa 土丘火灾的这些途径。实验旨在推断火灾的温度、持续时间和氧化条件。火灾温度和持续时间是根据建筑材料与对照物的地质考古分析和动物骨骼的热蚀变相比较得出的。通过对燃烧结构内离散区域的烧焦残骸进行古民族植物学分析，重建了燃料。我们得出的结论是，一场蓄意的火灾将 Chiripa 土墩上的结构在氧化条件下烧毁至 700 °C 或更高的温度达数小时之久。回收的热变材料的模式需要大量的补充燃料负载。在海拔 3840 masl 的奇里帕，有效控制高温氧化火灾展示了火灾管理的技术专长。我们的发现表明火灾似乎是故意的，可能是一场仪式活动。我们认为，在玻利维亚形成中期末期的社会转型时期，这些建筑被烧毁是为了促进社会政治变革。