[Aztlan] again a very simple and tiny question: the gap between Andes and Mesoamerica

[Lennert van Oorschot]

Hallo all,
 
In the light of all the "resent" findings and very early dates (between +/- 4500 calBC & +/- 2000 calBC) from the area between Ecuador (Valdivia) and, let's say, Lima, Peru..., 
 
(see chapters 5, 24, 31, 32, 43, 44 of the new, 2008, Handbook of South American Archaeology, see the work of J. Moore in the Tumbez region, http://www.cla.csudh.edu/project/exreports.pdf & see the work of T. Dillehay in the Zaña valley, http://www.pnas.org/content/102/47/17241.full, or just take a look at  http://www.arqueologiadelperu.com.ar/sitios.htm)  
 
....my question is very simple: were is Mesoamerica???
 
Not too long ago the story was simple. Both areas "started" around +/- 1500/1000 calBC with the Olmecs in the North, and Chavin in the South.
 
But nowadays there seems to be a gap between the two areas of at least 2000 years! (Even the very interesting work of Blake et al. in the Soconusco area -with dates between 2000 and 1500 cal BC- doesn't really bring Mesoamerica any closer to the Andean dates)
 
I see 3 options: 
 
1) there aren't any older dates in Mesoamerica, so yes, these developments started earlier in the Andes. Question: why the 2000-years-gap if there isn't really such a gap for the beginning of agriculture (see Piperno and others)? 
2) there are older dates, probably, but we haven't found the sites yet (due to the climate differences between Mexico and the Peruvian coast for example). Question: Where should we look for these sites?
3) There are older dates and sites in Mesoamerica (comparable to those in the Andes) that I am not aware of. Remark: although possible I don't really believe this since I read almost every interesting new article and book about (North, Central, South) American archaeology. But who knows! :)
 
 
Note: this isn’t about the not very scientific game of “who’s first”, or “were did CIVILISATION start???”. Those are questions for National Geographic or the History Channel to answer. I’m just interested to hear what the specialists (& others) in both areas think of it.
 
 
Best greetings,
 
 
Lennert van Oorschot
Ma. Languages/Cultures Indigenous America
Amsterdam, Netherlands
 
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L. van Oorschot
06-27384289
http://torrivent.blogspot.com