Buen Suceso is a Late Valdivia site located 9km inland along the Manglaralto Valley in the Santa Elena Province of coastal Ecuador. The site was excavated by Sarah Rowe for her dissertation research in 2009 and 2010. Unusual amongst other Late Valdivia sites, Buen Suceso is characterized by a circular-shaped midden surrounding a cleared plaza area, reminiscent of Early Valdivia phase settlements. The site measures approximately 130 meters by 100 meters and presents an elevation difference of approximately 2.5 meters from the highest points on the top of the encircling midden to the low points located within the large central depression. This size is similar to that noted for Early Valdivia sties elsewhere (eg. Stahl 1984, Marcos 2003). Radiocarbon dates and ceramic analysis from Buen Suceso indicate approximately a 300-year occupation centered around 2000 BC, during Valdivia Phase VI and Phase VII (Rowe 2014).

Site Map

The 2009-2010 excavations concentrated on two areas of the site, a deep midden excavation located on the southeast arm of the ring midden (labeled "Midden" in the database), and a discontinuous trench excavation extending from the center of the site to the interior limit of the ring midden to the north (labeled "Trench 1" in the database). See also descriptions of these contexts.

Site location information approximate.