La presencia de artefactos óseos ha sido mencionada en los trabajos clásicos de la Pampa Ondulada... more La presencia de artefactos óseos ha sido mencionada en los trabajos clásicos de la Pampa Ondulada y de la cuenca inferior del Paraná. Si bien sabemos el rol central que estos jugaron en la subsistencia de los grupos de cazadores-recolectores de esta última región, la información respectiva de la primera área es sumamente escasa. En este trabajo analizamos los artefactos óseos generados por grupos cazadores-recolectores que ocuparon la Pampa Ondulada durante el Holoceno tardío a través de los conjuntos de los sitios Cañada de Rocha y Hunter. Sobre la base de estos resultados, discutimos los registros de otras áreas de la región. Como conclusión, notamos que el uso de la materia prima ósea en la Pampa Ondulada es claramente diferente al del Paraná inferior y, en cambio, es similar al del interior de la llanura pampeana, con la cual comparten otros rasgos del registro arqueológico. La tecnología ósea muestra signos de haber tenido un rol secundario con baja proporción de artefactos y g...
Entre los grupos cazadores-recolectores que ocuparon el humedal del río Paraná inferior durante e... more Entre los grupos cazadores-recolectores que ocuparon el humedal del río Paraná inferior durante el Holoceno tardío, el conjunto más numeroso de adornos es el de las cuentas y tembetás hechos sobre valvas de moluscos. En trabajos previos observamos que estos elementos presentan similitudes morfológicas a nivel intersitio, con pequeñas variaciones formales. En este trabajo evaluamos la posibilidad de que estos elementos hayan funcionado como demarcadores sociales. En este sentido esperamos un patrón homogéneo tanto en la forma general y sus atributos, como en el tamaño. Para ello analizamos métrica y morfológicamente los conjuntos malacológicos provenientes de diez sitios arqueológicos del área. Los resultados muestran tendencias diferentes para las cuentas y los tembetás. Las primeras se distribuyen de manera homogénea en el espacio con un patrón morfológico y métrico compartido que sólo excluye uno de los sitios arqueológicos. Los tembetás, por su parte, son menos frecuentes y prese...
... ALEXANDRA LEGRAND-PINEAU ... The hooks principally characterise the early and middle PPNB of ... more ... ALEXANDRA LEGRAND-PINEAU ... The hooks principally characterise the early and middle PPNB of south-east Anatolia (Cafer and Çayönü) (Redman 1973; Stordeur 1988a) even if a few examples have been identified in the North Levant, at Dja'de (early PPNB), Halula (middle ...
BEYOND USE-WEAR TRACES: GOING FROM TOOLS TO PEOPLE BY MEANS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL WEAR AND RESIDUE ANALYSES, 2021
The Paraná river basin was inhabited by different hunter-gatherer groups during the last portion ... more The Paraná river basin was inhabited by different hunter-gatherer groups during the last portion of the Late Holocene. This is a large region with different ecological units which include the Riverside shoals in the south and the plains in the north. Between both areas, material continuities are seen in general terms, but also particularities involve the site formation process of the Cerro Lutz archaeological site. It is a shell midden with two occupational components, the later one with mortuary activities. Although similarities were noted in the bone and lithic assemblages from both areas, it is not clear if they function in the same manner. In this paper, microscopic evidence of bone and lithic tools from Cerro Lutz will be analysed and discussed in the light of the published data from the Riverside shoals. Results confirmed that in both areas artefacts were used on different actions and materials, showing differences in the lithic assemblage. While use-wear in southern sites show bone use, soft materials were recorded in Cerro Lutz, suggesting a differential use of technology that could be related to raw material availability.
Although pottery technology has been extensively studied in Pre-hispanic horticulturalists groups... more Although pottery technology has been extensively studied in Pre-hispanic horticulturalists groups from the Paraná River Basin (known as Guaraní), lithic and bone technology is still poorly understood. Frequently, archaeologists have centered the debate on pottery decoration and form, mainly to discuss migration routes, but also to establish certain aspects of the domestic life of such groups. Guaraní technology is only partially known, as there is scarce information regarding lithic and bone exploitation as raw materials. This paper focuses on lithic and bone use-wear analysis in order to discuss the technological choices of these groups. To this end, we analyzed the assemblages coming from Guaraní archaeological sites of two different areas in the Paraná River Basin: the low Paraná wetland, and the upper Paraná river. Both deposits have radiocarbon dates from the late Holocene (c. 700 BP), before the Spanish conquest of America, which reinforces the hypothesis that Guaraní groups arrived at the Río de la Plata area a few centuries before the Spanish conquerors. Results show that, despite environmental variability, similarities across technological solutions can be discerned. Although lithic technology shows variability in the raw materials employed as well as a diversity in stone tool classes, artifactual use in both areas is mainly associated with the processing of vegetables. For bone technology, similarities are marked by the absence of standardization associated with an expedient use of this raw material in both cases
Although the Paraná River wetland includes a high number of Late Holocene archaeological sites fr... more Although the Paraná River wetland includes a high number of Late Holocene archaeological sites from hunter-gatherer groups which share material properties related to a common subsistence strategy, material variability can be seen in the regional scale. Through the analysis of pottery style, some authors have proposed that this could be related to the development of social limits. While in sites earlier than 1100 years BP pottery decoration is heterogeneous, in later samples, there is a group of archaeological sites with homogeneous patterns in pottery decoration, while this is mostly plain in others.
Bone technology could be used to test and discuss these ideas, as it is well represented in different sectors of the Paraná River, in archaeological contexts from ~2300 to 700 years BP. Although the functional character of bone tools has been largely addressed, decorative and morphological stylistic features have remained outside the scope of traditional literature.
As a result of our analysis, we conclude that there is a differential behaviour in the decorative style of bone tools. In early sites, decoration is rare and highly variable, which could be interpreted as an individual marker. In late contexts, decoration is only present in sites with plain pottery and it shows a standardized pattern that suggests the existence of a common code among certain groups of people.
Among hunter-gatherer groups that inhabited the low Paraná wetland during Late Holocene, the most... more Among hunter-gatherer groups that inhabited the low Paraná wetland during Late Holocene, the most numerous assemblages of ornaments are composed by shell beads and tembetás. In previous works we observed that the assemblages show inter-site morphological similarities with little formal variations. In this paper we test the idea that these elements were used as social markers. Consequently, we expect an homogeneous pattern in the general form and the form of their attributes, as well as the metrical values. For this purpose, we analyse metrical and morphological data of shell assemblages from ten archaeological sites of the study area. Results show different tendencies for shell beads and tembetás. Shell beads are homogenously distributed in the region with a shared morphologic and metric pattern that only excludes one of the archaeological sites. Tembetás are less frequent and show two morpho-metric variants that could be a response either to individual variability or to ethnic identification.
En este trabajo se analizan una serie de piezas dentarias de carnívoros discutiendo su utilizació... more En este trabajo se analizan una serie de piezas dentarias de carnívoros discutiendo su utilización como objetos ornamentales por las poblaciones humanas que ocuparon el sector meridional del humedal del Paraná inferior durante el Holoceno tardío. La identificación taxonómica de los distintos elementos dentarios se efectuó mediante estudios morfométricos, siendo de particular interés señalar el reconocimiento de especies que son poco frecuentes o que hasta ahora no estaban presentes en el registro arqueológico regional como Canis familiaris y Nasua nasua. A través del análisis microscópico, logramos identificar distintos rastros o huellas de transformación y utilización de los dientes, incluso en aquellos ejemplares que a ojo desnudo no presentaban modificaciones antrópicas. En función de los resultados obtenidos se discute la obtención y uso de estos objetos como objetos ornamentales y se realizan distintas consideraciones en cuanto a su potencial valor simbólico, señalando ciertas limitaciones interpretativas que existen sobre este tópico, así como las vías analíticas y conceptos desarrollados por otros autores para abordar problemáticas similares a las aquí estudiadas. Manufacture and use of ornaments made on carnivore teeth from archaeological sites of Low Paraná Wetland Abstract This paper analyses Carnivore dental items, discussing their use as ornaments by human societies that inhabited the southern sector of Low Paraná wetland during the Late Holocene. Taxonomic identification of dental items was made trough morphometric analysis. It is very interesting to show the presence of taxa not available in the area as Canis familiaris and Nasua nasua. Through microscopic analysis, we identified use and manufacture process, also in those items which do not show anthropic modification at the naked eye. On the basis of these results, we discuss the bone raw material acquisition and their use as ornaments, arguing their symbolic value but pointing the analytical restrictions on this subject, as well as the methodological and theoretical lines developed by other authors to deal with similar topics.
Producción y uso de ornamentos en las tierras bajas de Sudamérica: el caso de las poblaciones hum... more Producción y uso de ornamentos en las tierras bajas de Sudamérica: el caso de las poblaciones humanas prehispáni-cas del extremo meridional de la cuenca del Plata (Argentina) The production and use of ornaments in the lowlands of South America: the case of pre–Hispanic human populations of the southern end of the La Plata basin (Argentina) RESUMEN En este trabajo se analizan los conjuntos ornamentales generados por las poblaciones humanas prehispánicas que ocuparon el extremo me-ridional de la cuenca del Plata. Se describen las piezas recuperadas en diversos sitios arqueológicos teniendo en cuenta las materias primas em-pleadas, sus mecanismos de obtención y otros aspectos relacionados con la manufactura. Posteriormente se evalúa y discute su potencial uso como medios de transmisión de información. Para ello se consideran diferentes factores vinculados con los sistemas de intercambio y la exten-sión de las redes sociales en el marco del crecimiento demográfico y del grado de complejidad social que alcanzaron dichas poblaciones du-rante la fase final del Holoceno tardío. LABURPENA Lan honetan Cuenca del Platako hegoaldeko muturrean bizi izan ziren giza populazio prehispanikoek sortutako multzo apaingarriak aztertzen dira. Toki arkeologiko ugaritan berreskuratutako piezak deskribatzen dira erabilitako lehengaiak, lortzeko mekanismoak eta manufakturarekin lo-tutako beste alderdi batzuk kontuan izanda. Ondoren, informazioa transmititzeko baliabide gisa izan dezaketen erabilera ebaluatzen eta ezta-baidatzen da. Horretarako, truke-sistemekin eta sare sozialen hedapenarekin lotutako hainbat faktore hartu da kontuan hazkunde demografikoaren eta Holozeno berantiarraren amaierako fasean populazio horiek lortu zuten konplexutasun sozial mailaren testuinguruaren baitan. ABSTRACT This paper analyses ornamental assemblages from human prehispanic groups that inhabited the southern portion of Del Plata basin. Artifacts recovered in different archaeological sites are described, focusing on the raw materials used, their acquisition, and other aspects linked to the manufacturing processes. Then we test and discuss their possible use as vector of information transmission. We consider different factors associated with exchange systems and the scope of social networks in the frame of a context of demographic growth and social complexity at which arrived social groups under study during the last portion of Late Holocene.
Hacia finales del Holoceno tardío, el delta del Paraná estuvo
habitado por diferentes grupos pobl... more Hacia finales del Holoceno tardío, el delta del Paraná estuvo habitado por diferentes grupos poblacionales, entre ellos los conocidos como “Guaraníes”. En los diversos contextos arqueológicos del área raramente se recuperan objetos metálicos; por lo que estudiar los casos en los que están presentes permite discutir procesos de poblamiento y ocupación del área. Este trabajo se ocupa particularmente del análisis de las piezas recuperadas en el sitio Arroyo Fredes, datado entre 1262 y 1642 AD. Nuestro objetivo es evaluar a través del análisis morfológico y composicional de las piezas su posible vinculación con dos centros metalúrgicos que habrían estado disponibles al momento de ocupación del sitio: la esfera hispánica y el Noroeste argentino. En dos casos, la lámina y el disco, la composición de cobre puro permite establecer una conexión con las poblaciones locales. En el tercero, el alfiler o topu, los resultados no son concluyentes. Los datos, en definitiva, muestran la complejidad del proceso de ocupación del área momentos antes de la ocupación europea
Hacia finales del Holoceno tardío, el delta del Paraná estuvo
habitado por diferentes grupos pobl... more Hacia finales del Holoceno tardío, el delta del Paraná estuvo habitado por diferentes grupos poblacionales, entre ellos los conocidos como “Guaraníes”. En los diversos contextos arqueológicos del área raramente se recuperan objetos metálicos; por lo que estudiar los casos en los que están presentes permite discutir procesos de poblamiento y ocupación del área. Este trabajo se ocupa particularmente del análisis de las piezas recuperadas en el sitio Arroyo Fredes, datado entre 1262 y 1642 AD. Nuestro objetivo es evaluar a través del análisis morfológico y composicional de las piezas su posible vinculación con dos centros metalúrgicos que habrían estado disponibles al momento de ocupación del sitio: la esfera hispánica y el Noroeste argentino. En dos casos, la lámina y el disco, la composición de cobre puro permite establecer una conexión con las poblaciones locales. En el tercero, el alfiler o topu, los resultados no son concluyentes. Los datos, en definitiva, muestran la complejidad del proceso de ocupación del área momentos antes de la ocupación europea
This work presents the bone-tool assemblage from the oldest site with bone technology known in th... more This work presents the bone-tool assemblage from the oldest site with bone technology known in the area of Low Paraná wetland: Isla Lechiguanas 1; dated to ca. 2200 years BP. Until now, information of the area came from sites dated to approximately 1000 years BP. In those cases, morphological and functional standardization was interpreted as a moment of a well-defined techno-complex. According to a previous model of bone raw material exploitation, higher variability is expected for the Isla Lechiguanas 1 sample as the result of an early stage of experimentation. However, our results show that standardization was already established at 2200 years BP, showing a high correlation between form, function and bone used as raw material.
Bone tools are one of the main features of hunter-gatherer campsites in the lower Paraná wetland ... more Bone tools are one of the main features of hunter-gatherer campsites in the lower Paraná wetland (Argentina, South America) dated between 1.0 and 0.6 uncal. bp. This chapter examines how the selection of bone elements used to make tools limits the percentage of minimum animal units (%MAU) of ungulates established for archaeofaunal assemblages in the area. For that purpose, we analysed the manufacturing process involved in the creation of archaeological bone tools. This information is evaluated relative to deer anatomical representation, bone mineral density (BMD) and food utility index (FUI). Results suggest that analysis of anatomical representation of faunal resources requires a careful study of manufacturing processes.
La presencia de artefactos óseos ha sido mencionada en los trabajos clásicos de la Pampa Ondulada... more La presencia de artefactos óseos ha sido mencionada en los trabajos clásicos de la Pampa Ondulada y de la cuenca inferior del Paraná. Si bien sabemos el rol central que estos jugaron en la subsistencia de los grupos de cazadores-recolectores de esta última región, la información respectiva de la primera área es sumamente escasa. En este trabajo analizamos los artefactos óseos generados por grupos cazadores-recolectores que ocuparon la Pampa Ondulada durante el Holoceno tardío a través de los conjuntos de los sitios Cañada de Rocha y Hunter. Sobre la base de estos resultados, discutimos los registros de otras áreas de la región. Como conclusión, notamos que el uso de la materia prima ósea en la Pampa Ondulada es claramente diferente al del Paraná inferior y, en cambio, es similar al del interior de la llanura pampeana, con la cual comparten otros rasgos del registro arqueológico. La tecnología ósea muestra signos de haber tenido un rol secundario con baja proporción de artefactos y g...
Entre los grupos cazadores-recolectores que ocuparon el humedal del río Paraná inferior durante e... more Entre los grupos cazadores-recolectores que ocuparon el humedal del río Paraná inferior durante el Holoceno tardío, el conjunto más numeroso de adornos es el de las cuentas y tembetás hechos sobre valvas de moluscos. En trabajos previos observamos que estos elementos presentan similitudes morfológicas a nivel intersitio, con pequeñas variaciones formales. En este trabajo evaluamos la posibilidad de que estos elementos hayan funcionado como demarcadores sociales. En este sentido esperamos un patrón homogéneo tanto en la forma general y sus atributos, como en el tamaño. Para ello analizamos métrica y morfológicamente los conjuntos malacológicos provenientes de diez sitios arqueológicos del área. Los resultados muestran tendencias diferentes para las cuentas y los tembetás. Las primeras se distribuyen de manera homogénea en el espacio con un patrón morfológico y métrico compartido que sólo excluye uno de los sitios arqueológicos. Los tembetás, por su parte, son menos frecuentes y prese...
... ALEXANDRA LEGRAND-PINEAU ... The hooks principally characterise the early and middle PPNB of ... more ... ALEXANDRA LEGRAND-PINEAU ... The hooks principally characterise the early and middle PPNB of south-east Anatolia (Cafer and Çayönü) (Redman 1973; Stordeur 1988a) even if a few examples have been identified in the North Levant, at Dja'de (early PPNB), Halula (middle ...
BEYOND USE-WEAR TRACES: GOING FROM TOOLS TO PEOPLE BY MEANS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL WEAR AND RESIDUE ANALYSES, 2021
The Paraná river basin was inhabited by different hunter-gatherer groups during the last portion ... more The Paraná river basin was inhabited by different hunter-gatherer groups during the last portion of the Late Holocene. This is a large region with different ecological units which include the Riverside shoals in the south and the plains in the north. Between both areas, material continuities are seen in general terms, but also particularities involve the site formation process of the Cerro Lutz archaeological site. It is a shell midden with two occupational components, the later one with mortuary activities. Although similarities were noted in the bone and lithic assemblages from both areas, it is not clear if they function in the same manner. In this paper, microscopic evidence of bone and lithic tools from Cerro Lutz will be analysed and discussed in the light of the published data from the Riverside shoals. Results confirmed that in both areas artefacts were used on different actions and materials, showing differences in the lithic assemblage. While use-wear in southern sites show bone use, soft materials were recorded in Cerro Lutz, suggesting a differential use of technology that could be related to raw material availability.
Although pottery technology has been extensively studied in Pre-hispanic horticulturalists groups... more Although pottery technology has been extensively studied in Pre-hispanic horticulturalists groups from the Paraná River Basin (known as Guaraní), lithic and bone technology is still poorly understood. Frequently, archaeologists have centered the debate on pottery decoration and form, mainly to discuss migration routes, but also to establish certain aspects of the domestic life of such groups. Guaraní technology is only partially known, as there is scarce information regarding lithic and bone exploitation as raw materials. This paper focuses on lithic and bone use-wear analysis in order to discuss the technological choices of these groups. To this end, we analyzed the assemblages coming from Guaraní archaeological sites of two different areas in the Paraná River Basin: the low Paraná wetland, and the upper Paraná river. Both deposits have radiocarbon dates from the late Holocene (c. 700 BP), before the Spanish conquest of America, which reinforces the hypothesis that Guaraní groups arrived at the Río de la Plata area a few centuries before the Spanish conquerors. Results show that, despite environmental variability, similarities across technological solutions can be discerned. Although lithic technology shows variability in the raw materials employed as well as a diversity in stone tool classes, artifactual use in both areas is mainly associated with the processing of vegetables. For bone technology, similarities are marked by the absence of standardization associated with an expedient use of this raw material in both cases
Although the Paraná River wetland includes a high number of Late Holocene archaeological sites fr... more Although the Paraná River wetland includes a high number of Late Holocene archaeological sites from hunter-gatherer groups which share material properties related to a common subsistence strategy, material variability can be seen in the regional scale. Through the analysis of pottery style, some authors have proposed that this could be related to the development of social limits. While in sites earlier than 1100 years BP pottery decoration is heterogeneous, in later samples, there is a group of archaeological sites with homogeneous patterns in pottery decoration, while this is mostly plain in others.
Bone technology could be used to test and discuss these ideas, as it is well represented in different sectors of the Paraná River, in archaeological contexts from ~2300 to 700 years BP. Although the functional character of bone tools has been largely addressed, decorative and morphological stylistic features have remained outside the scope of traditional literature.
As a result of our analysis, we conclude that there is a differential behaviour in the decorative style of bone tools. In early sites, decoration is rare and highly variable, which could be interpreted as an individual marker. In late contexts, decoration is only present in sites with plain pottery and it shows a standardized pattern that suggests the existence of a common code among certain groups of people.
Among hunter-gatherer groups that inhabited the low Paraná wetland during Late Holocene, the most... more Among hunter-gatherer groups that inhabited the low Paraná wetland during Late Holocene, the most numerous assemblages of ornaments are composed by shell beads and tembetás. In previous works we observed that the assemblages show inter-site morphological similarities with little formal variations. In this paper we test the idea that these elements were used as social markers. Consequently, we expect an homogeneous pattern in the general form and the form of their attributes, as well as the metrical values. For this purpose, we analyse metrical and morphological data of shell assemblages from ten archaeological sites of the study area. Results show different tendencies for shell beads and tembetás. Shell beads are homogenously distributed in the region with a shared morphologic and metric pattern that only excludes one of the archaeological sites. Tembetás are less frequent and show two morpho-metric variants that could be a response either to individual variability or to ethnic identification.
En este trabajo se analizan una serie de piezas dentarias de carnívoros discutiendo su utilizació... more En este trabajo se analizan una serie de piezas dentarias de carnívoros discutiendo su utilización como objetos ornamentales por las poblaciones humanas que ocuparon el sector meridional del humedal del Paraná inferior durante el Holoceno tardío. La identificación taxonómica de los distintos elementos dentarios se efectuó mediante estudios morfométricos, siendo de particular interés señalar el reconocimiento de especies que son poco frecuentes o que hasta ahora no estaban presentes en el registro arqueológico regional como Canis familiaris y Nasua nasua. A través del análisis microscópico, logramos identificar distintos rastros o huellas de transformación y utilización de los dientes, incluso en aquellos ejemplares que a ojo desnudo no presentaban modificaciones antrópicas. En función de los resultados obtenidos se discute la obtención y uso de estos objetos como objetos ornamentales y se realizan distintas consideraciones en cuanto a su potencial valor simbólico, señalando ciertas limitaciones interpretativas que existen sobre este tópico, así como las vías analíticas y conceptos desarrollados por otros autores para abordar problemáticas similares a las aquí estudiadas. Manufacture and use of ornaments made on carnivore teeth from archaeological sites of Low Paraná Wetland Abstract This paper analyses Carnivore dental items, discussing their use as ornaments by human societies that inhabited the southern sector of Low Paraná wetland during the Late Holocene. Taxonomic identification of dental items was made trough morphometric analysis. It is very interesting to show the presence of taxa not available in the area as Canis familiaris and Nasua nasua. Through microscopic analysis, we identified use and manufacture process, also in those items which do not show anthropic modification at the naked eye. On the basis of these results, we discuss the bone raw material acquisition and their use as ornaments, arguing their symbolic value but pointing the analytical restrictions on this subject, as well as the methodological and theoretical lines developed by other authors to deal with similar topics.
Producción y uso de ornamentos en las tierras bajas de Sudamérica: el caso de las poblaciones hum... more Producción y uso de ornamentos en las tierras bajas de Sudamérica: el caso de las poblaciones humanas prehispáni-cas del extremo meridional de la cuenca del Plata (Argentina) The production and use of ornaments in the lowlands of South America: the case of pre–Hispanic human populations of the southern end of the La Plata basin (Argentina) RESUMEN En este trabajo se analizan los conjuntos ornamentales generados por las poblaciones humanas prehispánicas que ocuparon el extremo me-ridional de la cuenca del Plata. Se describen las piezas recuperadas en diversos sitios arqueológicos teniendo en cuenta las materias primas em-pleadas, sus mecanismos de obtención y otros aspectos relacionados con la manufactura. Posteriormente se evalúa y discute su potencial uso como medios de transmisión de información. Para ello se consideran diferentes factores vinculados con los sistemas de intercambio y la exten-sión de las redes sociales en el marco del crecimiento demográfico y del grado de complejidad social que alcanzaron dichas poblaciones du-rante la fase final del Holoceno tardío. LABURPENA Lan honetan Cuenca del Platako hegoaldeko muturrean bizi izan ziren giza populazio prehispanikoek sortutako multzo apaingarriak aztertzen dira. Toki arkeologiko ugaritan berreskuratutako piezak deskribatzen dira erabilitako lehengaiak, lortzeko mekanismoak eta manufakturarekin lo-tutako beste alderdi batzuk kontuan izanda. Ondoren, informazioa transmititzeko baliabide gisa izan dezaketen erabilera ebaluatzen eta ezta-baidatzen da. Horretarako, truke-sistemekin eta sare sozialen hedapenarekin lotutako hainbat faktore hartu da kontuan hazkunde demografikoaren eta Holozeno berantiarraren amaierako fasean populazio horiek lortu zuten konplexutasun sozial mailaren testuinguruaren baitan. ABSTRACT This paper analyses ornamental assemblages from human prehispanic groups that inhabited the southern portion of Del Plata basin. Artifacts recovered in different archaeological sites are described, focusing on the raw materials used, their acquisition, and other aspects linked to the manufacturing processes. Then we test and discuss their possible use as vector of information transmission. We consider different factors associated with exchange systems and the scope of social networks in the frame of a context of demographic growth and social complexity at which arrived social groups under study during the last portion of Late Holocene.
Hacia finales del Holoceno tardío, el delta del Paraná estuvo
habitado por diferentes grupos pobl... more Hacia finales del Holoceno tardío, el delta del Paraná estuvo habitado por diferentes grupos poblacionales, entre ellos los conocidos como “Guaraníes”. En los diversos contextos arqueológicos del área raramente se recuperan objetos metálicos; por lo que estudiar los casos en los que están presentes permite discutir procesos de poblamiento y ocupación del área. Este trabajo se ocupa particularmente del análisis de las piezas recuperadas en el sitio Arroyo Fredes, datado entre 1262 y 1642 AD. Nuestro objetivo es evaluar a través del análisis morfológico y composicional de las piezas su posible vinculación con dos centros metalúrgicos que habrían estado disponibles al momento de ocupación del sitio: la esfera hispánica y el Noroeste argentino. En dos casos, la lámina y el disco, la composición de cobre puro permite establecer una conexión con las poblaciones locales. En el tercero, el alfiler o topu, los resultados no son concluyentes. Los datos, en definitiva, muestran la complejidad del proceso de ocupación del área momentos antes de la ocupación europea
Hacia finales del Holoceno tardío, el delta del Paraná estuvo
habitado por diferentes grupos pobl... more Hacia finales del Holoceno tardío, el delta del Paraná estuvo habitado por diferentes grupos poblacionales, entre ellos los conocidos como “Guaraníes”. En los diversos contextos arqueológicos del área raramente se recuperan objetos metálicos; por lo que estudiar los casos en los que están presentes permite discutir procesos de poblamiento y ocupación del área. Este trabajo se ocupa particularmente del análisis de las piezas recuperadas en el sitio Arroyo Fredes, datado entre 1262 y 1642 AD. Nuestro objetivo es evaluar a través del análisis morfológico y composicional de las piezas su posible vinculación con dos centros metalúrgicos que habrían estado disponibles al momento de ocupación del sitio: la esfera hispánica y el Noroeste argentino. En dos casos, la lámina y el disco, la composición de cobre puro permite establecer una conexión con las poblaciones locales. En el tercero, el alfiler o topu, los resultados no son concluyentes. Los datos, en definitiva, muestran la complejidad del proceso de ocupación del área momentos antes de la ocupación europea
This work presents the bone-tool assemblage from the oldest site with bone technology known in th... more This work presents the bone-tool assemblage from the oldest site with bone technology known in the area of Low Paraná wetland: Isla Lechiguanas 1; dated to ca. 2200 years BP. Until now, information of the area came from sites dated to approximately 1000 years BP. In those cases, morphological and functional standardization was interpreted as a moment of a well-defined techno-complex. According to a previous model of bone raw material exploitation, higher variability is expected for the Isla Lechiguanas 1 sample as the result of an early stage of experimentation. However, our results show that standardization was already established at 2200 years BP, showing a high correlation between form, function and bone used as raw material.
Bone tools are one of the main features of hunter-gatherer campsites in the lower Paraná wetland ... more Bone tools are one of the main features of hunter-gatherer campsites in the lower Paraná wetland (Argentina, South America) dated between 1.0 and 0.6 uncal. bp. This chapter examines how the selection of bone elements used to make tools limits the percentage of minimum animal units (%MAU) of ungulates established for archaeofaunal assemblages in the area. For that purpose, we analysed the manufacturing process involved in the creation of archaeological bone tools. This information is evaluated relative to deer anatomical representation, bone mineral density (BMD) and food utility index (FUI). Results suggest that analysis of anatomical representation of faunal resources requires a careful study of manufacturing processes.
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Papers by Natacha Buc
Although similarities were noted in the bone and lithic assemblages from both areas, it is not clear if they function in the same manner. In this paper, microscopic evidence of bone and lithic tools from Cerro Lutz will be analysed and discussed in the light of the published data from the Riverside shoals. Results confirmed that in both areas artefacts were used on different actions and materials, showing differences in the lithic assemblage. While use-wear in southern sites show bone use, soft materials were recorded in Cerro Lutz, suggesting a differential use of technology that could be related to raw material availability.
Paraná River Basin (known as Guaraní), lithic and bone technology is still poorly understood. Frequently, archaeologists
have centered the debate on pottery decoration and form, mainly to discuss migration routes, but
also to establish certain aspects of the domestic life of such groups. Guaraní technology is only partially known,
as there is scarce information regarding lithic and bone exploitation as raw materials. This paper focuses on lithic
and bone use-wear analysis in order to discuss the technological choices of these groups. To this end, we analyzed
the assemblages coming from Guaraní archaeological sites of two different areas in the Paraná River Basin:
the low Paraná wetland, and the upper Paraná river. Both deposits have radiocarbon dates from the late
Holocene (c. 700 BP), before the Spanish conquest of America, which reinforces the hypothesis that Guaraní
groups arrived at the Río de la Plata area a few centuries before the Spanish conquerors. Results show that,
despite environmental variability, similarities across technological solutions can be discerned. Although lithic
technology shows variability in the raw materials employed as well as a diversity in stone tool classes, artifactual
use in both areas is mainly associated with the processing of vegetables. For bone technology, similarities are
marked by the absence of standardization associated with an expedient use of this raw material in both cases
Bone technology could be used to test and discuss these ideas, as it is well represented in different sectors of the Paraná River, in archaeological contexts from ~2300 to 700 years BP. Although the functional character of bone tools has been largely addressed, decorative and morphological stylistic features have remained outside the scope of traditional literature.
As a result of our analysis, we conclude that there is a differential behaviour in the decorative style of bone tools. In early sites, decoration is rare and highly variable, which could be interpreted as an individual marker. In late contexts, decoration is only present in sites with plain pottery and it shows a standardized pattern that suggests the existence of a common code among certain groups of people.
habitado por diferentes grupos poblacionales, entre ellos los conocidos como “Guaraníes”. En los diversos contextos arqueológicos del área raramente se recuperan objetos metálicos; por lo que estudiar los casos en los que están
presentes permite discutir procesos de poblamiento y ocupación del área. Este trabajo se ocupa particularmente del análisis de las piezas recuperadas en el sitio Arroyo Fredes, datado entre 1262 y 1642 AD. Nuestro objetivo es evaluar
a través del análisis morfológico y composicional de las piezas su posible vinculación con dos centros metalúrgicos que habrían estado disponibles al momento de ocupación del sitio: la esfera hispánica y el Noroeste argentino. En dos casos, la lámina y el disco, la composición de cobre puro permite establecer una conexión con las poblaciones locales. En el tercero, el alfiler o topu, los resultados no son concluyentes. Los datos, en definitiva, muestran la complejidad del proceso de ocupación del área momentos antes de la ocupación europea
habitado por diferentes grupos poblacionales, entre ellos los conocidos como “Guaraníes”. En los diversos contextos arqueológicos del área raramente se recuperan objetos metálicos; por lo que estudiar los casos en los que están
presentes permite discutir procesos de poblamiento y ocupación del área. Este trabajo se ocupa particularmente del análisis de las piezas recuperadas en el sitio Arroyo Fredes, datado entre 1262 y 1642 AD. Nuestro objetivo es evaluar
a través del análisis morfológico y composicional de las piezas su posible vinculación con dos centros metalúrgicos que habrían estado disponibles al momento de ocupación del sitio: la esfera hispánica y el Noroeste argentino. En dos casos, la lámina y el disco, la composición de cobre puro permite establecer una conexión con las poblaciones locales. En el tercero, el alfiler o topu, los resultados no son concluyentes. Los datos, en definitiva, muestran la complejidad del proceso de ocupación del área momentos antes de la ocupación europea
Until now, information of the area came from sites dated to approximately 1000 years BP. In those cases, morphological and functional standardization was interpreted as a moment of a well-defined techno-complex. According to a previous model of bone raw material exploitation, higher variability is expected for the Isla Lechiguanas 1 sample as the result of an early stage
of experimentation.
However, our results show that standardization was already established at 2200 years BP, showing a high correlation between form, function and bone used as raw material.
examines how the selection of bone elements used to make tools limits the percentage of minimum animal units (%MAU) of ungulates established for archaeofaunal assemblages in
the area. For that purpose, we analysed the manufacturing process involved in the creation of archaeological bone tools. This information is evaluated relative to deer anatomical
representation, bone mineral density (BMD) and food utility index (FUI). Results suggest that analysis of anatomical representation of faunal resources requires a careful study of
manufacturing processes.
Although similarities were noted in the bone and lithic assemblages from both areas, it is not clear if they function in the same manner. In this paper, microscopic evidence of bone and lithic tools from Cerro Lutz will be analysed and discussed in the light of the published data from the Riverside shoals. Results confirmed that in both areas artefacts were used on different actions and materials, showing differences in the lithic assemblage. While use-wear in southern sites show bone use, soft materials were recorded in Cerro Lutz, suggesting a differential use of technology that could be related to raw material availability.
Paraná River Basin (known as Guaraní), lithic and bone technology is still poorly understood. Frequently, archaeologists
have centered the debate on pottery decoration and form, mainly to discuss migration routes, but
also to establish certain aspects of the domestic life of such groups. Guaraní technology is only partially known,
as there is scarce information regarding lithic and bone exploitation as raw materials. This paper focuses on lithic
and bone use-wear analysis in order to discuss the technological choices of these groups. To this end, we analyzed
the assemblages coming from Guaraní archaeological sites of two different areas in the Paraná River Basin:
the low Paraná wetland, and the upper Paraná river. Both deposits have radiocarbon dates from the late
Holocene (c. 700 BP), before the Spanish conquest of America, which reinforces the hypothesis that Guaraní
groups arrived at the Río de la Plata area a few centuries before the Spanish conquerors. Results show that,
despite environmental variability, similarities across technological solutions can be discerned. Although lithic
technology shows variability in the raw materials employed as well as a diversity in stone tool classes, artifactual
use in both areas is mainly associated with the processing of vegetables. For bone technology, similarities are
marked by the absence of standardization associated with an expedient use of this raw material in both cases
Bone technology could be used to test and discuss these ideas, as it is well represented in different sectors of the Paraná River, in archaeological contexts from ~2300 to 700 years BP. Although the functional character of bone tools has been largely addressed, decorative and morphological stylistic features have remained outside the scope of traditional literature.
As a result of our analysis, we conclude that there is a differential behaviour in the decorative style of bone tools. In early sites, decoration is rare and highly variable, which could be interpreted as an individual marker. In late contexts, decoration is only present in sites with plain pottery and it shows a standardized pattern that suggests the existence of a common code among certain groups of people.
habitado por diferentes grupos poblacionales, entre ellos los conocidos como “Guaraníes”. En los diversos contextos arqueológicos del área raramente se recuperan objetos metálicos; por lo que estudiar los casos en los que están
presentes permite discutir procesos de poblamiento y ocupación del área. Este trabajo se ocupa particularmente del análisis de las piezas recuperadas en el sitio Arroyo Fredes, datado entre 1262 y 1642 AD. Nuestro objetivo es evaluar
a través del análisis morfológico y composicional de las piezas su posible vinculación con dos centros metalúrgicos que habrían estado disponibles al momento de ocupación del sitio: la esfera hispánica y el Noroeste argentino. En dos casos, la lámina y el disco, la composición de cobre puro permite establecer una conexión con las poblaciones locales. En el tercero, el alfiler o topu, los resultados no son concluyentes. Los datos, en definitiva, muestran la complejidad del proceso de ocupación del área momentos antes de la ocupación europea
habitado por diferentes grupos poblacionales, entre ellos los conocidos como “Guaraníes”. En los diversos contextos arqueológicos del área raramente se recuperan objetos metálicos; por lo que estudiar los casos en los que están
presentes permite discutir procesos de poblamiento y ocupación del área. Este trabajo se ocupa particularmente del análisis de las piezas recuperadas en el sitio Arroyo Fredes, datado entre 1262 y 1642 AD. Nuestro objetivo es evaluar
a través del análisis morfológico y composicional de las piezas su posible vinculación con dos centros metalúrgicos que habrían estado disponibles al momento de ocupación del sitio: la esfera hispánica y el Noroeste argentino. En dos casos, la lámina y el disco, la composición de cobre puro permite establecer una conexión con las poblaciones locales. En el tercero, el alfiler o topu, los resultados no son concluyentes. Los datos, en definitiva, muestran la complejidad del proceso de ocupación del área momentos antes de la ocupación europea
Until now, information of the area came from sites dated to approximately 1000 years BP. In those cases, morphological and functional standardization was interpreted as a moment of a well-defined techno-complex. According to a previous model of bone raw material exploitation, higher variability is expected for the Isla Lechiguanas 1 sample as the result of an early stage
of experimentation.
However, our results show that standardization was already established at 2200 years BP, showing a high correlation between form, function and bone used as raw material.
examines how the selection of bone elements used to make tools limits the percentage of minimum animal units (%MAU) of ungulates established for archaeofaunal assemblages in
the area. For that purpose, we analysed the manufacturing process involved in the creation of archaeological bone tools. This information is evaluated relative to deer anatomical
representation, bone mineral density (BMD) and food utility index (FUI). Results suggest that analysis of anatomical representation of faunal resources requires a careful study of
manufacturing processes.