Lamas und Alpakas : Eine Natur- und Kulturgeschichte der Neuweltkameliden

Abstract

‘It is this animal that sustains the whole of Peru,’ wrote a Spanish chronicler around 1600. Llamas and alpacas were so important in the Inca Empire that breeding and husbandry were controlled by the state. Embedded in spiritual beliefs, they served as beasts of burden (llamas), suppliers of fine animal hair (alpacas) for highly developed textile production and as sacrificial animals. The wild ancestors, vicuña and guanaco, were regarded as livestock of the sun. Labelled ‘Peruvian sheep’ by the Spanish conquistadors, the South American camelids were increasingly displaced by imported European livestock. But in the highlands of their countries of origin Peru and Bolivia, llamas, alpacas and their relatives continue to be of central importance for Andean cultural identity. Using historical reports and illustrations, this book tracks the long and eventful journey of South American camelids from the New World to the Old World. In Europe, South American camelids were initially found as curiosities in princely menageries and zoos. They were the subject of the developing natural sciences and alpaca fleece became a sought-after raw material in the textile industry during the industrial revolution. After unsuccessful attempts to naturalize them as new farm animals outside their original homeland in the 19th century, llamas and alpacas gained a new function in the 20th century as popular companion animals for trekking, landscape conservation, fibre production or as therapy animals. The natural and cultural history of the four South American camelids shows the wide range of the human-animal relationship, – from the Andean concept of a loan from pachamama, Mother Earth, to their function as farm animals and individualized pets. The book is written for enthusiasts of llamas, alpacas and their relatives, as well as for students and scientists who are interested in the natural and cultural history, biology and domestication history of these special animals.