Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino

Cultures > Arid North > Pica

Social organization

The Pica lived in entities similar to chiefdoms, with a relatively complex hierarchy and authorities that organized the work force within a circumscribed territory. The smallest social units were based on kinship as well as reciprocity and redistribution among leaders, who also maintained ties with other groups of this ethnicity. Social distinctions within units were based on status and expertise in certain activities.