Pedro Andrade

Remote sensing archaeology in recent years has emphasized the use of high-precision and high-accuracy tools to achieve the detailed documentation of archaeological elements (drones, LIDAR, etc.). Satellite remote sensing has also benefited from an increase in the spatial and spectral resolution of the sensors, which is enabling the discovery and documentation of new archaeological features and sites worldwide. While there can be no doubt that a great deal is being gained via such “site detection” approaches, there still remains the possibility of further exploring remote sensing methods to analyse archaeological problems. In this paper, this issue is discussed by focusing on one common archaeological topic: the mapping of environmental resources used in the past and, in particular, the procurement of lithic raw material by hunter-gatherer groups. This is illustrated by showing how the combined use of Landsat 8 images and “ground-truthing” via focused field studies has allowed the identification of a number of potential chert sources, the major lithic resource used by coastal groups between 11,500–1,500 cal. BP, in a vast area of the Atacama Desert covering 22,500 km2. Besides discussing the case study, the strength of remote sensing techniques in addressing archaeological questions comprising large spatial scales is highlighted, stressing the key role they can play in the detection and study of specific environmental resources within challenging physical settings.

From material culture evidence dating as early as 7500 cal BC, it has been established that populations from the interfluvic coast in northern Chile adapted to a maritime economic livelihood. During the 2nd millennium BC, local populations began to experience major social changes arising mainly from an increase in contacts with agropastoral populations from the highlands of the Andes. New radiocarbon data and stable isotope (δ15Ncol, δ13Ccol, and δ13Cap) analyses of human bone remains from interfluvic coastal individuals were obtained. The data showed that these individuals, at the time of contact with highland populations, maintained a mode of subsistence relying principally on marine protein. This suggests that, although instances of social change may have arisen, the livelihoods linked to the consumption of marine resources would have remained constant, demonstrating a high degree of resistance in changing local lifestyles.

Este trabajo da a conocer datos bioantropológicos inéditos obtenidos de una muestra discreta no disturbada proveniente de excava-ciones estratigráficas practicadas en un sitio de tiempos arcaicos, ubicados en la costa arreica de Chile, de los cuales se obtuvieron fechados radiocarbónicos como isótopos estables (δ15 N, δ13C col), permitiendo situarlos dentro de la secuencia zonal. A partir de la coherencia de estos resultados se establece que el modo de vida de estos individuos habría estado fuertemente ligado con la explotación de las distintas dimensiones productivas que presenta el ambiente marino, dejando huellas importantes en su registro óseo y dental. Palabras claves: desierto de Atacama, pescadores, cazadores y recolectores, período Arcaico, modos de vida, bioarqueología. The aim of this paper is to study human biological remains from stratigraphic excavations of the Archaic desertic coastal site of Copaca 1, Northern Chile. The discussion of new chronological, biological and stable isotopes data allows a new approach to the societies that lived in this extremely arid zone of the Atacama Desert. Results obtained in osteological evidence is described, suggesting way of life highly linked with the exploitation of different productive dimensions of the maritime environment through activities patterns that left important traces in their osteological and dental record.

Se presentan datos correspondientes a dos nuevos sitios asignados al Complejo Cultural Huentelauquén del Holoceno Temprano en las costas de Taltal, y en particular en la desembocadura de la quebrada Cascabeles. Se trata de los sitios 224A y 225, en ambos casos aleros ubicados muy cerca del Alero Cascabeles excavado originalmente por Castelleti en la década de 2000. A partir del registro de la información estratigráfica, cronológica y contextual, nuestro trabajo reflexiona acerca de los patrones de asentamiento de las poblaciones Huentelauquén en el área y discute las hipótesis que han sido planteadas anteriormente para explicarlo.

Se presentan datos correspondientes a dos nuevos sitios asignados al Complejo Cultural Huentelauquén del Holoceno Temprano en las costas de Taltal, y en particular en la desembocadura de la quebrada Cascabeles. Se trata de los sitios 224A y 225, en ambos casos aleros ubicados muy cerca del Alero Cascabeles excavado originalmente por Castelleti en la década de 2000. A partir del registro de la información estratigrá‚ca, cronológica y contextual, nuestro trabajo reƒexiona acerca de los patrones de asentamiento de las poblaciones Huentelauquén en el área y discute las hipótesis que han sido planteadas anteriormente para explicarlo.

Se presentan los resultados obtenidos de los analisis de los restos oseos de tres sitios arqueologicos de la cordillera andina de Chil Central, con el fin de realizar una primera reconstruccion de su modo de vida, desde una perspectiva bioarqueologica. Ademas se discute la presencia de un rasgo observado en los craneos, los que, de manera prelimina, se podrian relacionar con modificaciones de la morfologia craneana

From material culture evidence dating as early as 7500 cal BC, it has been established that populations from the interfluvic coast in northern Chile adapted to a maritime economic livelihood. During the 2nd millennium BC, local populations began to experience major social changes arising mainly from an increase in contacts with agropastoral populations from the highlands of the Andes. New radiocarbon data and stable isotope (δ15Ncol, δ13Ccol, and δ13Cap) analyses of human bone remains from interfluvic coastal individuals were obtained. The data showed that these individuals, at the time of contact with highland populations, maintained a mode of subsistence relying principally on marine protein. This suggests that, although instances of social change may have arisen, the livelihoods linked to the consumption of marine resources would have remained constant, demonstrating a high degree of resistance in changing local lifestyles.

Se presentan los resultados obtenidos de análisis bioarqueológicos realizados en 36 individuos provenientes de 25 sitios prehispánicos de la costa de Taltal, los cuales muestran la continuidad en la zona del modo de vida cazador-recolector-pescador, asociado a la explotación y consumo de recursos marinos. Se especifican una serie de actividades que estos individuos habrían llevado a cabo, a partir de la presencia de enfermedades articulares degenerativas y algunos marcadores de estrés ocupacional, además de presentarse evidencia de condiciones paleopatológicas metabólicas e infecciosas. Al mismo tiempo, se establecen comparaciones
con poblaciones prehistóricas con modos de vidas similares que habitaron ambientes costeros del extremo norte y norte semiárido de Chile, para finalmente reflexionar en torno a las particularidades del área de estudio