Larger sites that are the result of repeated occupation as rest areas are well documented in ethnoarchaeological accounts of camelid caravans (Lecoq 1988: 185-186;Nielsen 2000: 461-462, 500-504;West 1981: 70). According to these accounts, in the course of a multi-week caravan journey the team will rest periodically, usually for two or three nights, in order to allow for recovery by the animals and for conducting routine maintenance tasks by the caravan drivers such as repairing cargo panniers and stitching up the shoes made for the llamas' feet. Typically, these rest areas are situated adjacent to a rich grazing area with plentiful water and little competition for pasture access. The rest stops commonly are located immediately before or after a strenuous section of trail.
The Block 2 area is something of a natural bottleneck at the transition zone between the Colca valley and the puna, and it also contains the largest bofedal in the study area. The Block 2 puna is situated just outside of the rugged volcanic terrain that rings the Colca valley. It is the first extensive area of prime grazing encountered after caravans have crested the ascent out of the Colca, and the ascending animals would have presumably been loaded with agricultural cargo. It is therefore unsurprising that large corral facilities were encountered in this location.
The lithic and ceramic artifacts associated with these abandoned corral features are also telling. While local LIP and LH sherds are common in Block 2, the unslipped Chiquero-style pottery of Formative production, are also widespread in Block 2. Obsidian flakes are extremely common in the vicinity of these mounds. As demonstrated in the testing work at A03-39, small hearths and obsidian knapping at medium and advanced reduction stages occurred on the margins of these corral structures.