Circulation of goods: shell ornaments from El Carmen 2, Santa María valley (Northwest Argentina), ca. 400–1500 BP

The presence of foreign molluscs and ornamental objects made from their shells at archaeological sites in the Southern Andes has often been interpreted as a material indicator of exchange practices, reflecting the circulation of goods between different regions. This paper presents the archaeomalacological remains recovered from the courtyard of a residential unit at the El Carmen 2 archaeological site, Santa María valley (Northwest Argentina), ca. 400–1500 BP. The assemblage includes three elements: two beads, one of which was made from a terrestrial snail of the genus Megalobulimus, and an inlay that may correspond to a marine mollusc of the genus Urosalpinx. The presence of molluscs from both the Yungas and the Atlantic coast in domestic contexts in the intermediate valleys of Northwest Argentina suggests their role in daily life, as objects that could be worn on the body or simply carried by individuals, within the framework of extensive exchange networks.