- Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, Taphonomy, Vertebrate taphonomy, Cervidae, and 29 moreArchaeozoology, Bird Taphonomy, Human Behavioral Ecology, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Pacific Archaeology, Foraging ecology, New Zealand Archaeology, Optimal Foraging Theory, Southern Patagonia, Anthropology, Ancient History, Birds, Patagonia, Penguins, Bird remains (Zooarchaeology), Fossil record, Material Culture, Pinnipeds, Zooarqueologia, Tafonomía, Neotropico, Cazadores Recolectores Patagonicos, Ethnography, Arqueologia, Arqueología de Patagonia, Cazadores recolectores, Coastal and Island Archaeology, Animal domestication, and Arqueologíaedit
Se presenta la información zooarqueológica y la tecnología ósea del conchero P 35, ubicado en Punta Entrada, desembocadura del río Santa Cruz (Argentina). El conjunto zooarqueológico, con gran representación de restos de individuos de... more
Se presenta la información zooarqueológica y la tecnología ósea del
conchero P 35, ubicado en Punta Entrada, desembocadura del río Santa
Cruz (Argentina). El conjunto zooarqueológico, con gran representación
de restos de individuos de diferentes sexos y edades de Arctocephalus
australis y de Otaria flavescens, refuerza las afirmaciones previas
sobre la explotación de asentamientos de otáridos en la localidad.
Otros taxones, como los cetáceos, el zorro colorado, el guanaco, los
cormoranes imperiales, el ñandú y el cauquén común, están representados
en menor cantidad y fueron aprovechados de manera oportunista. La
tecnología ósea fue confeccionada en el lugar, con huesos de la fauna
registrada en el conjunto zooarqueológico, con excepción de un asta
de huemul aserrada. El conjunto de instrumentos óseos y líticos incluye
piezas vinculadas con sistemas de armas apropiados para la caza de
las especies registradas en el depósito. A partir de la evidencia de P
35, Punta Entrada aparece como un sector costero recurrentemente
visitado, que habría funcionado no sólo como lugar de aprovisionamiento
planificado de recursos animales muy productivos y con localizaciones
conocidas (los otáridos), sino que también brindaba posibilidades de
acceso a aquéllos obtenidos de manera oportunista, pero con alto
potencial como insumos para la subsistencia humana.
conchero P 35, ubicado en Punta Entrada, desembocadura del río Santa
Cruz (Argentina). El conjunto zooarqueológico, con gran representación
de restos de individuos de diferentes sexos y edades de Arctocephalus
australis y de Otaria flavescens, refuerza las afirmaciones previas
sobre la explotación de asentamientos de otáridos en la localidad.
Otros taxones, como los cetáceos, el zorro colorado, el guanaco, los
cormoranes imperiales, el ñandú y el cauquén común, están representados
en menor cantidad y fueron aprovechados de manera oportunista. La
tecnología ósea fue confeccionada en el lugar, con huesos de la fauna
registrada en el conjunto zooarqueológico, con excepción de un asta
de huemul aserrada. El conjunto de instrumentos óseos y líticos incluye
piezas vinculadas con sistemas de armas apropiados para la caza de
las especies registradas en el depósito. A partir de la evidencia de P
35, Punta Entrada aparece como un sector costero recurrentemente
visitado, que habría funcionado no sólo como lugar de aprovisionamiento
planificado de recursos animales muy productivos y con localizaciones
conocidas (los otáridos), sino que también brindaba posibilidades de
acceso a aquéllos obtenidos de manera oportunista, pero con alto
potencial como insumos para la subsistencia humana.
Research Interests:
During the first excavations carried out at the Parador QB (Islote Lobos National Park, Rio Negro coast), bird bones were recovered in the zooarchaeological assemblages. As in other archaeological localities on the North Patagonian coast,... more
During the first excavations carried out at the Parador QB (Islote Lobos National Park, Rio Negro coast), bird bones were recovered in the zooarchaeological assemblages. As in other archaeological localities on
the North Patagonian coast, the representation of this taxon is scarce, although the bones present a good state of preservation. With the aim of exploring the role of birds in the subsistence of the hunter-gatherer
societies that occupied this coastline during the Late Holocene, a taphonomic study was developed to establish whether the deposition of bird bones was due to anthropogenic action or to natural causes. The
taphonomic evaluation of the avifauna remains is essential given that currently there are nesting areas of various marine-coastal birds close to the archaeological sites, so that “bone contamination,” or the mixing
of natural bones and archaeological materials, can result. It is concluded that bird bones from the three loci have similar taphonomic trajectories, while modern bones mixed with the archaeological materials were
mainly of Magellanic penguins. Finally, it should be noted that, although bird bones are not abundant, birds had an important place in the prey repertoire of the hunter-gatherers of the region
the North Patagonian coast, the representation of this taxon is scarce, although the bones present a good state of preservation. With the aim of exploring the role of birds in the subsistence of the hunter-gatherer
societies that occupied this coastline during the Late Holocene, a taphonomic study was developed to establish whether the deposition of bird bones was due to anthropogenic action or to natural causes. The
taphonomic evaluation of the avifauna remains is essential given that currently there are nesting areas of various marine-coastal birds close to the archaeological sites, so that “bone contamination,” or the mixing
of natural bones and archaeological materials, can result. It is concluded that bird bones from the three loci have similar taphonomic trajectories, while modern bones mixed with the archaeological materials were
mainly of Magellanic penguins. Finally, it should be noted that, although bird bones are not abundant, birds had an important place in the prey repertoire of the hunter-gatherers of the region
Research Interests:
ARCHAEOFAUNA es una revista anual que publica trabajos originales relacionados con cualquier aspecto del estudio de restos animales recuperados en yacimientos arqueológicos. Los manuscritos deben enviarse a:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT
We use published zooarchaeological evidence to discuss the various hypotheses concerning the past distribution of huemuls in Patagonia, southern South America. We then use these data to evaluate the interactions between this cervid and... more
We use published zooarchaeological evidence to discuss the various hypotheses concerning the past distribution of huemuls in Patagonia, southern South America. We then use these data to evaluate the interactions between this cervid and hunter-gatherers during the Holocene. The zooarchaeological record shows that huemul mainly inhabited forested and forest–steppe ecotonal environments during the Holocene. Huemul were hunted in exceptional circumstances during the early occupation of Patagonia. Its presence in the zooarchaeological record of South Patagonia increases after 9500 BP and is more frequent after 2200 BP. However, the taxonomic contribution of the species’ bone remains to the archaeological record is always low. The few assemblages where there are a high number of huemul bones would have been the result of opportunistic hunting episodes. This in turn suggests that hunting of huemul had little or no influence on the animal’s regional distribution over time. However, the progressively greater human presence in some forested areas towards the end of the Holocene could have affected huemul populations at the local scale. The zooarchaeological information presented in this paper illustrates interspecific and long-term relationships and, hence, could serve as essential information in future management strategies for huemul in Argentina and Chile.
Research Interests:
The geoarchaeological and taphonomic analysis of P 35, a shell midden located on the southern coast of continental Patagonia, enables to address its formation history and the quality of the archaeological information it can provide. The... more
The geoarchaeological and taphonomic analysis of P 35, a shell midden located on the southern coast of continental Patagonia, enables to address its formation history and the quality of the archaeological information it can provide. The comparison of aerial photographs and satellite images between 1968 and 2012, with periodic field controls, allowed to establish the evolution of the landscape, the beginning of an erosive process that exposed a large amount of archaeological deposits, and the sequence of destruction of P 35 during the last decades. Bone modifications (fractures, root traces, abrasion, modifications by carnivores and rodents, anthropic modifications, and weathering) are consistent with what was determined from the geoarchaeological analysis. It is concluded that the archaeological assemblage was quickly buried (by sediments or by the valves that formed the shell lens), then the deposit was stabilized for an indeterminate period, and during the last decades it was gradually exposed. The recovered remains indicate that the integrity (sensu Binford, 2001) of the deposit is high and the temporal resolution is good.
Remains of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) recovered as part of three zooarchaeological assemblages from Punta Entrada and Monte León (Santa Cruz; Argentina) are analysed to assess whether they derived from human activities... more
Remains of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) recovered as part of three zooarchaeological assemblages from Punta Entrada and Monte León (Santa Cruz; Argentina) are analysed to assess whether they derived from human activities or are natural additions to the archaeological deposits. Both at Punta Entrada and Monte León there are large nesting areas of the species. Taphonomic properties (bone traces and modifications, weathering,
taxonomic abundance, and anatomic representation) of archaeological assemblages are compared with those recorded at modern penguin breeding areas. It is concluded that penguin remains are intrusive and derive from the natural mortality during the reproductive period in the nesting areas. In addition, it is established that there are no indicator that can be considered diagnostic of the anthropic origin of the remains of the species, but rather that it is the sum of the analysed variables that will allow approaching the issue and reaching consistent conclusions in each case.
Se analizan los restos de pingüinos Patagónicos (Spheniscus magellanicus) recuperados en tres depósitos arqueológicos de Punta Entrada y Monte León (Santa Cruz, Argentina), donde hay grandes colonias de nidificación de la especie. Para evaluar si estos restos derivan de actividades humanas o corresponden a adiciones naturales
que se mezclaron con restos arqueológicos, se comparan varias propiedades tafonómicas de los conjuntos arqueológicos con las registradas a través de observaciones tafonómicas de restos actuales de la especie en sus áreas de nidificación. A partir del análisis de la representación taxonómica y anatómica, las modificaciones
(fracturas, trazas de raíces, modificaciones antrópicas, por carnívoros y roedores, meteorización) de los huesos de pingüinos y del resto del conjunto de vertebrados, se concluye que los restos de pingüinos son intrusivos y derivan de la mortalidad natural durante el período reproductivo en las áreas de nidificación. Además, se establece que no hay indicadores que puedan considerarse diagnósticos del origen antrópico de los restos de la especie, sino que es la sumatoria de variables analizadas la que permitirá abordar el tema y llegar a conclusiones consistentes en cada caso.
taxonomic abundance, and anatomic representation) of archaeological assemblages are compared with those recorded at modern penguin breeding areas. It is concluded that penguin remains are intrusive and derive from the natural mortality during the reproductive period in the nesting areas. In addition, it is established that there are no indicator that can be considered diagnostic of the anthropic origin of the remains of the species, but rather that it is the sum of the analysed variables that will allow approaching the issue and reaching consistent conclusions in each case.
Se analizan los restos de pingüinos Patagónicos (Spheniscus magellanicus) recuperados en tres depósitos arqueológicos de Punta Entrada y Monte León (Santa Cruz, Argentina), donde hay grandes colonias de nidificación de la especie. Para evaluar si estos restos derivan de actividades humanas o corresponden a adiciones naturales
que se mezclaron con restos arqueológicos, se comparan varias propiedades tafonómicas de los conjuntos arqueológicos con las registradas a través de observaciones tafonómicas de restos actuales de la especie en sus áreas de nidificación. A partir del análisis de la representación taxonómica y anatómica, las modificaciones
(fracturas, trazas de raíces, modificaciones antrópicas, por carnívoros y roedores, meteorización) de los huesos de pingüinos y del resto del conjunto de vertebrados, se concluye que los restos de pingüinos son intrusivos y derivan de la mortalidad natural durante el período reproductivo en las áreas de nidificación. Además, se establece que no hay indicadores que puedan considerarse diagnósticos del origen antrópico de los restos de la especie, sino que es la sumatoria de variables analizadas la que permitirá abordar el tema y llegar a conclusiones consistentes en cada caso.