El Inga

An Early Preceramic Paleo-Indian site in Ecuador at a height of 9100 ft in Rio Inga gorge. There is an obsidian workshop and hunting campsite with an estimated date of 10,000 BC. Fishtail stemmed points show technological similarities to the Clovis/Folsom points of Fell's Cave. The variety of point styles and tool types suggest that several cultures may be represented, covering over 5000 years of intermittent occupation and evidence for man's southward passage through South America.

Paleo-Indian site in highland Ecuador, 24 km south of Quito, at which a large and varied inventory of flint and obsidian tools provides evidence for man’s southward passage through South America. Fishtail points from El Inga level I show technological and morphological similarities to Clovis/Folsom points and to the fishtail points of Magellan I. Levels II and III contain willow-leaf points similar to those at Ayampitin, Lauricocha Caves and elsewhere, as well as stemmed points, flaked knives and scrapers. Although El Inga seems to represent a hunting-based society and some bone was found nearby, no faunal remains or hearths were associated with stone tools. Absolute dates are rare, but the earliest radiocarbon date is c7000 be and a 4000-5000-year period of occupation is postulated.