Collective labour and sustainability of pre-Hispanic field systems in La Mojana

Pre-Hispanic societies of the Colombian Caribbean lowlands built raised field systems spanning over 500,000 hectares. Their re-adoption may offer a potential solution to modern-day water control in the region. Traditionally interpreted as evidence of large-scale projects requiring centralised planning and coordination, the labour organisation behind their construction is nevertheless not fully understood. To leverage archaeological knowledge in assessing potential for their re-adoption, we examine the function and labour input requirements of pre-Hispanic canal-ridge systems within a 500-hectare study area. Conservative estimates indicate the entire system could have been built by local inhabitants in a single dry season. Maintenance requirements were also modest, with full restoration once a generation requiring a few days annual labour. We conclude that the sheer scale of these systems cannot be taken as evidence of top-down control, and highlight the potential of low-cost, cooperative, sustainable approaches to water and land management in the Colombian Caribbean.