The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is one of the four species of South American camels, and is the large... more The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is one of the four species of South American camels, and is the largest native mammal inhabiting arid and semi-arid environments in South America. Although the guanaco was abundant and widely distributed in the past, currently its density and distribution range are substantially reduced, inhabiting mainly Southern Patagonia in small isolated groups. The decline in guanaco populations is most likely related to the Anthropocene defaunation process that is affecting large mammals in developing countries worldwide, but the extent and causes of these changes are not well understood. Aims. To explore both the changes in the distribution of guanaco populations in Northwest Patagonia and the environmental and anthropic factors that shaped the distribution patterns, by employing a long-term perspective spanning from the end of the Late Holocene to present times (i.e. the last 2500 years). Methods. We combine archaeological information, ethnohistorical records and current observations and apply Species Distribution Models using bioclimatic and anthropic factors as explanatory variables. Key results. Guanaco spatial distribution in Northwest Patagonia changed significantly throughout time. This change consisted in the displacement of the species towards the east of the region and its disappearance from northwest Neuquén and southwest Mendoza in the last 30 years. In particular, the high-density urban settlements and roads, and secondly, competition with ovicaprine livestock (goats and sheep) for forage are the main factors explaining the change in guanaco distribution. Conclusions. Guanaco and human populations co-existed in the same areas during the Late Holocene and historic times (16th to 19th centuries), but during the 20th century the modern anthropic impact generated a spatial dissociation between both species, pushing guanaco populations to drier and more unproductive areas that were previously peripheral in its distribution. Implications. As with many other large mammal species in developing countries, Northwest Patagonia guanaco populations are undergoing significant changes in their range due to modern anthropic activities. Considering that these events are directly related to population declines and extirpations, together with the striking low density recorded for Northwest Patagonia guanaco populations, urgent management actions are needed to mitigate current human impacts.
The aim of this paper is to discuss the role of faunal remains in funerary contexts from Southern... more The aim of this paper is to discuss the role of faunal remains in funerary contexts from Southern Patagonia. We will particularly emphasize the information obtained in mortuary contexts from Lake Salitroso (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina). In this area a total of 37 burials of different types, such as chenques (i.e. artificial rock burial mounds), burial under blocks and niches, have been studied. Results indicate low frequency of animal remains, mostly corresponding to fox (Lycalopex Burmeister, 1856) and guanaco (Lama guanicoe Müller, 1776). Additionally, certain variability in skeletal part representation has been detected. These characteristics are not reflected in the documentary sources of first European explorers in Patagonia, but are common in the regional archaeological record. Finally, another outcome of interest is the presence of animal remains deposited by natural processes (rodents, edentates and carnivores). The results are contextualized with available regional ethnohistoric and archaeological information to discuss the role of animal species in the funerary practices of hunter-gatherer populations in southern Patagonia.
In this work, we presented, analyzed and discussed the faunal variability corresponding to the fi... more In this work, we presented, analyzed and discussed the faunal variability corresponding to the final Pleistocene component (ca. 12.700-11.400 cal years BP) of Cueva Túnel site (Argentine Patagonia). The information generated allowed us to determine that this site contains the greatest faunal diversity in the region for this period. The presence of various herbivores, carnivores and birds is recorded at the site, many of them extinct. Likewise, several species show evidence of human use, with the group of camelids (Lama guanicoe, Lama gracilis and Hemiauchenia paradoxa) being the most important in terms of consumption. Evidence of human use of other species such as foxes, pumas, birds and extinct horses was also recorded. This highlights that prey-predator relationships were not restricted only to extinct megafauna, but also involved species that still exist today. Likewise, it allows us to propose the complementary use of other animals along with the main prey, the camelids.
Miradas desde la zooarqueología: relaciones entre humanos y animales en diversos tiempos y escenarios, 2024
"Miradas desde la zooarqueología: relaciones entre humanos y animales en diversos tiempos y escen... more "Miradas desde la zooarqueología: relaciones entre humanos y animales en diversos tiempos y escenarios"
La introducción del caballo en Patagonia modificó múltiples esferas de la vida de las poblaciones... more La introducción del caballo en Patagonia modificó múltiples esferas de la vida de las poblaciones locales. En particular, la subsistencia y la movilidad de los grupos cazadores-recolectores se vieron altamente impactados. Algunos de los factores que incidieron en este proceso fueron: el momento de adopción de esta especie, los vectores espaciales de dispersión de animales, ciertos factores climáticos y la evaluación de costos y beneficios asociados con la adopción del caballo en relación con los requerimientos nutricionales, el rendimiento calórico y la ecología de este animal. En este trabajo exploramos el impacto que la adopción del caballo habría tenido sobre las poblaciones de Patagonia a través del estudio de fuentes históricas y mediante el análisis comparativo del rendimiento nutricional de los caballos en relación con las presas tradicionalmente explotadas por los grupos de cazadores-recolectores patagónicos (i.e., guanaco). Asimismo, estudiamos los requerimientos nutricionales de los equinos y la utilización de modelos de distribución de especies para investigar los lugares del espacio patagónico que podían sostener a las poblaciones de caballos. Los resultados indican ejes de dispersión y cronologías de adopción diferentes en los distintos espacios de la Patagonia. Asimismo, planteamos que las diferencias en rendimiento nutricional en relación con las presas tradicionales explican, en parte, su rápida incorporación. Finalmente, señalamos que se produjo una adaptación de las pautas de movilidad de las poblaciones humanas a los requerimientos ecológicos del caballo-
In this paper we study the relationships between plants and extinct megafauna by examining the ch... more In this paper we study the relationships between plants and extinct megafauna by examining the characteristics of the vegetation in the central region of Argentina (i.e. Espinal, Monte, and Chaco phytogeographic regions). First, we study the size, shape, quantity, and characteristics of fruits and seeds. We also evaluate the presence of mechanical (spinescence and wood density) and chemical (secondary metabolic compounds) defenses against high rates of herbivory. Complementarily, we assess the importance these plants had for human populations, using archeological, ethnographic, and current data. A high percentage of the analyzed plants met the criteria proposed for fruits and seeds dispersed by megafauna, together with a high frequency of spinescence, high density woods, and secondary metabolites. We propose that these traits cannot be explained by the herbivory pressure of extant fauna in the area, but rather developed in interaction with currently extinct fauna. We suggest that Pleistocene megafaunal extinction had important consequences in the region due to their role as ecosystem engineers and to vegetation’s characteristics, which were probably strongly shaped by megafauna activities. Among these consequences, we discuss the loss of certain interactions between these animals and vegetation, such as loss of seed dispersal mechanisms, shrub invasion, and increased susceptibility of vegetation to fire. Other effects for hunter-gatherer groups were the generation of highly regulated mobility patterns and the formation of barriers for the dispersal of prey. Finally, we also discuss the importance of these plants for human populations as food, construction material, medicines and firewood. Likewise, the role of humans as “heirs” of the megafauna in the propagation of tree and shrub species is highlighted.
SUMMARYPaleoparasitological examination provides information of parasite–host associations in the... more SUMMARYPaleoparasitological examination provides information of parasite–host associations in the past, shedding light on the geographical origin of some parasites, on the possible dispersal routes and on some of the processes that modelled the parasitic communities. The aim of the present study was to examine parasite remains present in camelid coprolites collected from the archaeological site Alero Destacamento Guardaparque, Patagonia and to discuss the paleoparasitological findings in a biogeographical and paleoecological context. Coprolites were collected from different stratified layers dating from middle to late Holocene, a period covering approximately 7000 years. Paleoparasitological examination revealed the presence of eggs attributed to Lamanema chavezi or Nematodirus lamae, Nematodirus spathiger, Dictyocaulus sp., eggs of two unidentified capillariids, Strongylus-type eggs and oocysts of Eimeria macusaniensis. Enteric parasites of camelids had not changed significantly during the Holocene up to the entry of introduced livestock, although environmental conditions fluctuated greatly throughout this period, indicating the stability of these associations over time. This is the first finding of N. spathiger and Dictyocaulus sp. in paleoparasitological record and their presence are associated with the interaction of camelids with introduced livestock, which likely allowed parasite host switching. In the present study, the zoonotic importance of parasites of camelids is also discussed.
Este trabajo aborda el estudio de un conjunto óseo depositado en el sitio Cueva Túnel, Meseta Cen... more Este trabajo aborda el estudio de un conjunto óseo depositado en el sitio Cueva Túnel, Meseta Central de Santa Cruz, Argentina. El sitio abarca un rango temporal que va de fines del Pleistoceno hasta el Holoceno Tardío. Nos concentramos en su componente inferior, datado en ca.10500 años AP, que presenta una amplia diversidad de fauna, entre la que se incluyen varias especies hoy extintas. Se han identificado restos faunísticos correspondientes a los camélidos Lama guanicoe, Hemiauchenia paradoxa y Lama gracilis. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar los patrones de consumo de los camélidos, dado que son los taxones que se hallan más representados en el conjunto analizado. Esta situación no es privativa de este sitio arqueológico, sino que se repite en otros conjuntos correspondientes a la transición Pleistoceno-Holoceno en Patagonia, indicando la importancia económica que los camélidos han tenido a lo largo del proceso de poblamiento de Patagonia. Sin embargo, no se han investigado en detalle las estrategias empleadas en el procesamiento y consumo de estos taxones, ni las diferencias intertaxonómicas en la explotación de estos recursos. Para cumplir con este objetivo, consideramos las siguientes variables: la asignación taxonómica, la frecuencia de partes esqueletarias, las evidencias de agentes y procesos naturales y el estudio de marcas de procesamiento y consumo humano. Estos datos son contextualizados con información acerca del ambiente ecológico, presentando una caracterización de los patrones de subsistencia desarrollados por los primeros grupos humanos que poblaron estos sectores.
La localidad de Cerro Pampa/Pampa del Asador es conocida por su amplia disponibilidad de materia ... more La localidad de Cerro Pampa/Pampa del Asador es conocida por su amplia disponibilidad de materia prima litica, principalmente obsidiana negra. Este trabajo busca remarcar otras de sus particularidades, tales como los analisis comparativos de informacion tecnologica y zooarqueologica disponible de la region para explicar la variabilidad del registro arqueologico de cazadores.
SUMMARYPaleoparasitological examination provides information of parasite–host associations in the... more SUMMARYPaleoparasitological examination provides information of parasite–host associations in the past, shedding light on the geographical origin of some parasites, on the possible dispersal routes and on some of the processes that modelled the parasitic communities. The aim of the present study was to examine parasite remains present in camelid coprolites collected from the archaeological site Alero Destacamento Guardaparque, Patagonia and to discuss the paleoparasitological findings in a biogeographical and paleoecological context. Coprolites were collected from different stratified layers dating from middle to late Holocene, a period covering approximately 7000 years. Paleoparasitological examination revealed the presence of eggs attributed to Lamanema chavezi or Nematodirus lamae, Nematodirus spathiger, Dictyocaulus sp., eggs of two unidentified capillariids, Strongylus-type eggs and oocysts of Eimeria macusaniensis. Enteric parasites of camelids had not changed significantly du...
Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology, 2017
Archaeozoological studies in Patagonia have tended in the past to focus on evidence provided by r... more Archaeozoological studies in Patagonia have tended in the past to focus on evidence provided by rock-shelters. However, a regional perspective, such as the one employed in this paper, allows us to identify trends and patterns during the Late Holocene (last 2,500 years) that could remain in the shadows if a microregional scale alone were used. Climatic changes occurred during the Late Holocene and specifically during the Medieval Climatic Anomaly (MCA), ca. 900 BP that were very different from the preceding times. It was proposed that lower lacustrine basins (lowlands) were residentially used by hunter-gatherer populations while the high basaltic plateaus (highlands) show an archaeological signal related to a seasonal logistic strategy. Consequently, it is expected that regional archaeozoological records obtained in different type of basins should follow these archaeological patterns. Spatial distribution of the zooarchaeological record present important differences between the Middle and Late Holocene in terms of skeletal part frequencies and processing evidence that is in agreement with the proposal.
ABSTRACTWe study the isotopic variability of modern social groups of guanacos (Lama guanicoe) and... more ABSTRACTWe study the isotopic variability of modern social groups of guanacos (Lama guanicoe) and discuss the implications of these results for the analysis of archaeofaunas from archaeological sites of Patagonia. The aim of this work is to evaluate whether the study of the isotope composition of carbon and nitrogen from collagen (δ13C and δ15N) is a methodology that allows the discussion of hunting strategies – individual versus mass – carried out by human populations in this particular case of the guanaco from southern Patagonia. Samples come from five modern assemblages of guanacos located in the west margin of the Cardiel Lake and are the result of a catastrophic mortality episode produced by winter stress. The isotopic variability of these samples is compared with that of a mesoregional attritional assemblage built from multiple sites and chronologies. The results indicate, in the first place, that there is no differentiation between males and females, second, that the offsprin...
Este trabajo busca generar un aporte al conocimiento de la dinámica poblacional de cazadores, en ... more Este trabajo busca generar un aporte al conocimiento de la dinámica poblacional de cazadores, en Patagonia meridional, durante el Holoceno medio y tardío en el marco de condiciones climáticas altamente fluctuantes. Para este fin se analizaron distintas líneas de evidencias arqueológicas provenientes de diferentes ambientes del centro-oeste de la provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina. Se identificó una interesante variabilidad del registro arqueológico, en estrecha relación con las modificaciones ambientales registradas en el Holoceno. Palabras claves: Patagonia, cazadores-recolectores, Holoceno. this article seeks to generate a contribution to the knowledge of the peopling dynamics of hunters in southern Patagonia during the middle and late holocene within fluctuating climatic conditions. in order to do this, different archaeological evidences were analyzed from diverse environments in Santa cruz province (Argentina). An interesting variability in the archaeological record was identified, in close relation with the environmental modifications registered in the holocene.
The analysis of dietary traits of ungulates through tooth microwear and mesowear has been applied... more The analysis of dietary traits of ungulates through tooth microwear and mesowear has been applied to archaeological sites to investigate seasonal changes in settlements by hunteregatherers. In this paper we propose to test the hypothesis that tooth microwear (combined to mesowear) is able to indicate seasonality in the diet of extant ungulates in arid habitats (semi-deserts or steppe). The material analyzed comes from six faunal monospecific assemblages of guanaco (Lama guanicoe) resulting from a mass mortality event in winter 2000 near the Cardiel Lake in Southern Patagonia (Province of Santa Cruz, Argentina). Mesowear results indicate that the guanacos from the Cardiel Lake area are mixed feeders, and thus, have a diet that shifts seasonally. Moreover, microwear analysis supports the hypothesis that tooth microwear is able to indicate seasonality in the diet of extant guanaco in arid habitats. The pattern is clear for the winter sample and needs to be confirmed for a summer sample. Consequently, tooth microwear is proposed as a new potential proxy for detecting seasonal occupation in archaeological sites in Patagonia and other arid environments.
In this work, we study diet composition of prehistoric human populations of Northwest Patagonia b... more In this work, we study diet composition of prehistoric human populations of Northwest Patagonia by exploring the combination of two different approaches frequently used in bioarchaeology, Bayesian isotope mixing models, and zooarchaeological analysis. For this purpose, we compiled a large dataset of previously published δ13C and δ15N human and resource values, as well as zooarchaeological data, corresponding to the Middle–Late Holocene and distributed throughout Northwest Patagonia. We first propose a replicable approach to divide the region into different areas comprising human individuals that shared the same available resources and perform isotope mixing models at individual level using default (i.e., uninformative) prior distributions in the Bayesian mixing models. Then, we explore a potential complementation of isotopic and zooarchaeological evidence by introducing the frequency of zooarchaeological assemblages with the different resources, as well as NISP, as priors in the Bay...
Los procesos de captación y gasto energético tienen implicancias en las historias de vida de los ... more Los procesos de captación y gasto energético tienen implicancias en las historias de vida de los individuos, los patrones demográficos y los sistemas de asentamiento. El tamaño corporal se ve impactado por factores energéticos que influyen desde procesos fisiológicos hasta relaciones ecológicas, y está relacionado con estrategias tróficas, rangos de acción y tipos de recursos consumidos. El objetivo de este trabajo es explorar las poblaciones humanas de Patagonia desde una perspectiva fisiológica y ecológica, vinculando demandas y límites impuestos por el metabolismo con recursos disponibles. Sobre la base de datos medioambientales (latitud, altitud, precipitaciones y temperatura), así como de estatura y masa corporal de las poblaciones patagónicas, se estimaron sus costos de mantenimiento a partir del cálculo de la tasa metabólica basal y niveles de actividad física. Luego, se compararon las estimaciones obtenidas con el rendimiento nutricional de diversas presas. Los resultados in...
ObjectivesAncient hunter‐gatherer diets were heterogeneous, varying substantially across time and... more ObjectivesAncient hunter‐gatherer diets were heterogeneous, varying substantially across time and space, and frequently showing considerable intrapopulation variation. The diet composition of these human groups depended primarily on resource availability, but also on the active selection of certain prey due to different bio‐cultural factors. In this context, we explore resource availability, diet composition, and prey choice in the human populations of the Middle‐Late Holocene from Northwest Patagonia.Material and MethodsWe employ species distribution models using current and zooarchaeological data to estimate species availability throughout Northwest Patagonia, and we use Bayesian stable isotope mixing models on a large number of samples to analyze human diet composition at the individual level during the Middle‐Late Holocene. Finally, we calculate a prey selectivity index to address the different dietary choices of human individuals in the region.ResultsOur results show large diff...
The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is one of the four species of South American camels, and is the large... more The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is one of the four species of South American camels, and is the largest native mammal inhabiting arid and semi-arid environments in South America. Although the guanaco was abundant and widely distributed in the past, currently its density and distribution range are substantially reduced, inhabiting mainly Southern Patagonia in small isolated groups. The decline in guanaco populations is most likely related to the Anthropocene defaunation process that is affecting large mammals in developing countries worldwide, but the extent and causes of these changes are not well understood. Aims. To explore both the changes in the distribution of guanaco populations in Northwest Patagonia and the environmental and anthropic factors that shaped the distribution patterns, by employing a long-term perspective spanning from the end of the Late Holocene to present times (i.e. the last 2500 years). Methods. We combine archaeological information, ethnohistorical records and current observations and apply Species Distribution Models using bioclimatic and anthropic factors as explanatory variables. Key results. Guanaco spatial distribution in Northwest Patagonia changed significantly throughout time. This change consisted in the displacement of the species towards the east of the region and its disappearance from northwest Neuquén and southwest Mendoza in the last 30 years. In particular, the high-density urban settlements and roads, and secondly, competition with ovicaprine livestock (goats and sheep) for forage are the main factors explaining the change in guanaco distribution. Conclusions. Guanaco and human populations co-existed in the same areas during the Late Holocene and historic times (16th to 19th centuries), but during the 20th century the modern anthropic impact generated a spatial dissociation between both species, pushing guanaco populations to drier and more unproductive areas that were previously peripheral in its distribution. Implications. As with many other large mammal species in developing countries, Northwest Patagonia guanaco populations are undergoing significant changes in their range due to modern anthropic activities. Considering that these events are directly related to population declines and extirpations, together with the striking low density recorded for Northwest Patagonia guanaco populations, urgent management actions are needed to mitigate current human impacts.
The aim of this paper is to discuss the role of faunal remains in funerary contexts from Southern... more The aim of this paper is to discuss the role of faunal remains in funerary contexts from Southern Patagonia. We will particularly emphasize the information obtained in mortuary contexts from Lake Salitroso (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina). In this area a total of 37 burials of different types, such as chenques (i.e. artificial rock burial mounds), burial under blocks and niches, have been studied. Results indicate low frequency of animal remains, mostly corresponding to fox (Lycalopex Burmeister, 1856) and guanaco (Lama guanicoe Müller, 1776). Additionally, certain variability in skeletal part representation has been detected. These characteristics are not reflected in the documentary sources of first European explorers in Patagonia, but are common in the regional archaeological record. Finally, another outcome of interest is the presence of animal remains deposited by natural processes (rodents, edentates and carnivores). The results are contextualized with available regional ethnohistoric and archaeological information to discuss the role of animal species in the funerary practices of hunter-gatherer populations in southern Patagonia.
In this work, we presented, analyzed and discussed the faunal variability corresponding to the fi... more In this work, we presented, analyzed and discussed the faunal variability corresponding to the final Pleistocene component (ca. 12.700-11.400 cal years BP) of Cueva Túnel site (Argentine Patagonia). The information generated allowed us to determine that this site contains the greatest faunal diversity in the region for this period. The presence of various herbivores, carnivores and birds is recorded at the site, many of them extinct. Likewise, several species show evidence of human use, with the group of camelids (Lama guanicoe, Lama gracilis and Hemiauchenia paradoxa) being the most important in terms of consumption. Evidence of human use of other species such as foxes, pumas, birds and extinct horses was also recorded. This highlights that prey-predator relationships were not restricted only to extinct megafauna, but also involved species that still exist today. Likewise, it allows us to propose the complementary use of other animals along with the main prey, the camelids.
Miradas desde la zooarqueología: relaciones entre humanos y animales en diversos tiempos y escenarios, 2024
"Miradas desde la zooarqueología: relaciones entre humanos y animales en diversos tiempos y escen... more "Miradas desde la zooarqueología: relaciones entre humanos y animales en diversos tiempos y escenarios"
La introducción del caballo en Patagonia modificó múltiples esferas de la vida de las poblaciones... more La introducción del caballo en Patagonia modificó múltiples esferas de la vida de las poblaciones locales. En particular, la subsistencia y la movilidad de los grupos cazadores-recolectores se vieron altamente impactados. Algunos de los factores que incidieron en este proceso fueron: el momento de adopción de esta especie, los vectores espaciales de dispersión de animales, ciertos factores climáticos y la evaluación de costos y beneficios asociados con la adopción del caballo en relación con los requerimientos nutricionales, el rendimiento calórico y la ecología de este animal. En este trabajo exploramos el impacto que la adopción del caballo habría tenido sobre las poblaciones de Patagonia a través del estudio de fuentes históricas y mediante el análisis comparativo del rendimiento nutricional de los caballos en relación con las presas tradicionalmente explotadas por los grupos de cazadores-recolectores patagónicos (i.e., guanaco). Asimismo, estudiamos los requerimientos nutricionales de los equinos y la utilización de modelos de distribución de especies para investigar los lugares del espacio patagónico que podían sostener a las poblaciones de caballos. Los resultados indican ejes de dispersión y cronologías de adopción diferentes en los distintos espacios de la Patagonia. Asimismo, planteamos que las diferencias en rendimiento nutricional en relación con las presas tradicionales explican, en parte, su rápida incorporación. Finalmente, señalamos que se produjo una adaptación de las pautas de movilidad de las poblaciones humanas a los requerimientos ecológicos del caballo-
In this paper we study the relationships between plants and extinct megafauna by examining the ch... more In this paper we study the relationships between plants and extinct megafauna by examining the characteristics of the vegetation in the central region of Argentina (i.e. Espinal, Monte, and Chaco phytogeographic regions). First, we study the size, shape, quantity, and characteristics of fruits and seeds. We also evaluate the presence of mechanical (spinescence and wood density) and chemical (secondary metabolic compounds) defenses against high rates of herbivory. Complementarily, we assess the importance these plants had for human populations, using archeological, ethnographic, and current data. A high percentage of the analyzed plants met the criteria proposed for fruits and seeds dispersed by megafauna, together with a high frequency of spinescence, high density woods, and secondary metabolites. We propose that these traits cannot be explained by the herbivory pressure of extant fauna in the area, but rather developed in interaction with currently extinct fauna. We suggest that Pleistocene megafaunal extinction had important consequences in the region due to their role as ecosystem engineers and to vegetation’s characteristics, which were probably strongly shaped by megafauna activities. Among these consequences, we discuss the loss of certain interactions between these animals and vegetation, such as loss of seed dispersal mechanisms, shrub invasion, and increased susceptibility of vegetation to fire. Other effects for hunter-gatherer groups were the generation of highly regulated mobility patterns and the formation of barriers for the dispersal of prey. Finally, we also discuss the importance of these plants for human populations as food, construction material, medicines and firewood. Likewise, the role of humans as “heirs” of the megafauna in the propagation of tree and shrub species is highlighted.
SUMMARYPaleoparasitological examination provides information of parasite–host associations in the... more SUMMARYPaleoparasitological examination provides information of parasite–host associations in the past, shedding light on the geographical origin of some parasites, on the possible dispersal routes and on some of the processes that modelled the parasitic communities. The aim of the present study was to examine parasite remains present in camelid coprolites collected from the archaeological site Alero Destacamento Guardaparque, Patagonia and to discuss the paleoparasitological findings in a biogeographical and paleoecological context. Coprolites were collected from different stratified layers dating from middle to late Holocene, a period covering approximately 7000 years. Paleoparasitological examination revealed the presence of eggs attributed to Lamanema chavezi or Nematodirus lamae, Nematodirus spathiger, Dictyocaulus sp., eggs of two unidentified capillariids, Strongylus-type eggs and oocysts of Eimeria macusaniensis. Enteric parasites of camelids had not changed significantly during the Holocene up to the entry of introduced livestock, although environmental conditions fluctuated greatly throughout this period, indicating the stability of these associations over time. This is the first finding of N. spathiger and Dictyocaulus sp. in paleoparasitological record and their presence are associated with the interaction of camelids with introduced livestock, which likely allowed parasite host switching. In the present study, the zoonotic importance of parasites of camelids is also discussed.
Este trabajo aborda el estudio de un conjunto óseo depositado en el sitio Cueva Túnel, Meseta Cen... more Este trabajo aborda el estudio de un conjunto óseo depositado en el sitio Cueva Túnel, Meseta Central de Santa Cruz, Argentina. El sitio abarca un rango temporal que va de fines del Pleistoceno hasta el Holoceno Tardío. Nos concentramos en su componente inferior, datado en ca.10500 años AP, que presenta una amplia diversidad de fauna, entre la que se incluyen varias especies hoy extintas. Se han identificado restos faunísticos correspondientes a los camélidos Lama guanicoe, Hemiauchenia paradoxa y Lama gracilis. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar los patrones de consumo de los camélidos, dado que son los taxones que se hallan más representados en el conjunto analizado. Esta situación no es privativa de este sitio arqueológico, sino que se repite en otros conjuntos correspondientes a la transición Pleistoceno-Holoceno en Patagonia, indicando la importancia económica que los camélidos han tenido a lo largo del proceso de poblamiento de Patagonia. Sin embargo, no se han investigado en detalle las estrategias empleadas en el procesamiento y consumo de estos taxones, ni las diferencias intertaxonómicas en la explotación de estos recursos. Para cumplir con este objetivo, consideramos las siguientes variables: la asignación taxonómica, la frecuencia de partes esqueletarias, las evidencias de agentes y procesos naturales y el estudio de marcas de procesamiento y consumo humano. Estos datos son contextualizados con información acerca del ambiente ecológico, presentando una caracterización de los patrones de subsistencia desarrollados por los primeros grupos humanos que poblaron estos sectores.
La localidad de Cerro Pampa/Pampa del Asador es conocida por su amplia disponibilidad de materia ... more La localidad de Cerro Pampa/Pampa del Asador es conocida por su amplia disponibilidad de materia prima litica, principalmente obsidiana negra. Este trabajo busca remarcar otras de sus particularidades, tales como los analisis comparativos de informacion tecnologica y zooarqueologica disponible de la region para explicar la variabilidad del registro arqueologico de cazadores.
SUMMARYPaleoparasitological examination provides information of parasite–host associations in the... more SUMMARYPaleoparasitological examination provides information of parasite–host associations in the past, shedding light on the geographical origin of some parasites, on the possible dispersal routes and on some of the processes that modelled the parasitic communities. The aim of the present study was to examine parasite remains present in camelid coprolites collected from the archaeological site Alero Destacamento Guardaparque, Patagonia and to discuss the paleoparasitological findings in a biogeographical and paleoecological context. Coprolites were collected from different stratified layers dating from middle to late Holocene, a period covering approximately 7000 years. Paleoparasitological examination revealed the presence of eggs attributed to Lamanema chavezi or Nematodirus lamae, Nematodirus spathiger, Dictyocaulus sp., eggs of two unidentified capillariids, Strongylus-type eggs and oocysts of Eimeria macusaniensis. Enteric parasites of camelids had not changed significantly du...
Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology, 2017
Archaeozoological studies in Patagonia have tended in the past to focus on evidence provided by r... more Archaeozoological studies in Patagonia have tended in the past to focus on evidence provided by rock-shelters. However, a regional perspective, such as the one employed in this paper, allows us to identify trends and patterns during the Late Holocene (last 2,500 years) that could remain in the shadows if a microregional scale alone were used. Climatic changes occurred during the Late Holocene and specifically during the Medieval Climatic Anomaly (MCA), ca. 900 BP that were very different from the preceding times. It was proposed that lower lacustrine basins (lowlands) were residentially used by hunter-gatherer populations while the high basaltic plateaus (highlands) show an archaeological signal related to a seasonal logistic strategy. Consequently, it is expected that regional archaeozoological records obtained in different type of basins should follow these archaeological patterns. Spatial distribution of the zooarchaeological record present important differences between the Middle and Late Holocene in terms of skeletal part frequencies and processing evidence that is in agreement with the proposal.
ABSTRACTWe study the isotopic variability of modern social groups of guanacos (Lama guanicoe) and... more ABSTRACTWe study the isotopic variability of modern social groups of guanacos (Lama guanicoe) and discuss the implications of these results for the analysis of archaeofaunas from archaeological sites of Patagonia. The aim of this work is to evaluate whether the study of the isotope composition of carbon and nitrogen from collagen (δ13C and δ15N) is a methodology that allows the discussion of hunting strategies – individual versus mass – carried out by human populations in this particular case of the guanaco from southern Patagonia. Samples come from five modern assemblages of guanacos located in the west margin of the Cardiel Lake and are the result of a catastrophic mortality episode produced by winter stress. The isotopic variability of these samples is compared with that of a mesoregional attritional assemblage built from multiple sites and chronologies. The results indicate, in the first place, that there is no differentiation between males and females, second, that the offsprin...
Este trabajo busca generar un aporte al conocimiento de la dinámica poblacional de cazadores, en ... more Este trabajo busca generar un aporte al conocimiento de la dinámica poblacional de cazadores, en Patagonia meridional, durante el Holoceno medio y tardío en el marco de condiciones climáticas altamente fluctuantes. Para este fin se analizaron distintas líneas de evidencias arqueológicas provenientes de diferentes ambientes del centro-oeste de la provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina. Se identificó una interesante variabilidad del registro arqueológico, en estrecha relación con las modificaciones ambientales registradas en el Holoceno. Palabras claves: Patagonia, cazadores-recolectores, Holoceno. this article seeks to generate a contribution to the knowledge of the peopling dynamics of hunters in southern Patagonia during the middle and late holocene within fluctuating climatic conditions. in order to do this, different archaeological evidences were analyzed from diverse environments in Santa cruz province (Argentina). An interesting variability in the archaeological record was identified, in close relation with the environmental modifications registered in the holocene.
The analysis of dietary traits of ungulates through tooth microwear and mesowear has been applied... more The analysis of dietary traits of ungulates through tooth microwear and mesowear has been applied to archaeological sites to investigate seasonal changes in settlements by hunteregatherers. In this paper we propose to test the hypothesis that tooth microwear (combined to mesowear) is able to indicate seasonality in the diet of extant ungulates in arid habitats (semi-deserts or steppe). The material analyzed comes from six faunal monospecific assemblages of guanaco (Lama guanicoe) resulting from a mass mortality event in winter 2000 near the Cardiel Lake in Southern Patagonia (Province of Santa Cruz, Argentina). Mesowear results indicate that the guanacos from the Cardiel Lake area are mixed feeders, and thus, have a diet that shifts seasonally. Moreover, microwear analysis supports the hypothesis that tooth microwear is able to indicate seasonality in the diet of extant guanaco in arid habitats. The pattern is clear for the winter sample and needs to be confirmed for a summer sample. Consequently, tooth microwear is proposed as a new potential proxy for detecting seasonal occupation in archaeological sites in Patagonia and other arid environments.
In this work, we study diet composition of prehistoric human populations of Northwest Patagonia b... more In this work, we study diet composition of prehistoric human populations of Northwest Patagonia by exploring the combination of two different approaches frequently used in bioarchaeology, Bayesian isotope mixing models, and zooarchaeological analysis. For this purpose, we compiled a large dataset of previously published δ13C and δ15N human and resource values, as well as zooarchaeological data, corresponding to the Middle–Late Holocene and distributed throughout Northwest Patagonia. We first propose a replicable approach to divide the region into different areas comprising human individuals that shared the same available resources and perform isotope mixing models at individual level using default (i.e., uninformative) prior distributions in the Bayesian mixing models. Then, we explore a potential complementation of isotopic and zooarchaeological evidence by introducing the frequency of zooarchaeological assemblages with the different resources, as well as NISP, as priors in the Bay...
Los procesos de captación y gasto energético tienen implicancias en las historias de vida de los ... more Los procesos de captación y gasto energético tienen implicancias en las historias de vida de los individuos, los patrones demográficos y los sistemas de asentamiento. El tamaño corporal se ve impactado por factores energéticos que influyen desde procesos fisiológicos hasta relaciones ecológicas, y está relacionado con estrategias tróficas, rangos de acción y tipos de recursos consumidos. El objetivo de este trabajo es explorar las poblaciones humanas de Patagonia desde una perspectiva fisiológica y ecológica, vinculando demandas y límites impuestos por el metabolismo con recursos disponibles. Sobre la base de datos medioambientales (latitud, altitud, precipitaciones y temperatura), así como de estatura y masa corporal de las poblaciones patagónicas, se estimaron sus costos de mantenimiento a partir del cálculo de la tasa metabólica basal y niveles de actividad física. Luego, se compararon las estimaciones obtenidas con el rendimiento nutricional de diversas presas. Los resultados in...
ObjectivesAncient hunter‐gatherer diets were heterogeneous, varying substantially across time and... more ObjectivesAncient hunter‐gatherer diets were heterogeneous, varying substantially across time and space, and frequently showing considerable intrapopulation variation. The diet composition of these human groups depended primarily on resource availability, but also on the active selection of certain prey due to different bio‐cultural factors. In this context, we explore resource availability, diet composition, and prey choice in the human populations of the Middle‐Late Holocene from Northwest Patagonia.Material and MethodsWe employ species distribution models using current and zooarchaeological data to estimate species availability throughout Northwest Patagonia, and we use Bayesian stable isotope mixing models on a large number of samples to analyze human diet composition at the individual level during the Middle‐Late Holocene. Finally, we calculate a prey selectivity index to address the different dietary choices of human individuals in the region.ResultsOur results show large diff...
La extinción de los grandes mamíferos. ¿Clima o depredación humana?, 2023
La extinción de la megafauna fue un proceso global que ocurrió en diferentes momentos en islas y ... more La extinción de la megafauna fue un proceso global que ocurrió en diferentes momentos en islas y continentes. Los eventos climáticos de los últimos 150.000 años y el efecto de los humanos han sido propuestos como causa principal. Más allá de la causa, la desaparición de los grandes animales tuvo significativos efectos en los ambientes post-extinción e importantes implicaciones para el debate actual acerca del rol del hombre en la naturaleza.
Archaeozoological studies in Patagonia have tended in the past to focus on evidence provided by r... more Archaeozoological studies in Patagonia have tended in the past to focus on evidence provided by rock-shelters. However, a regional perspective, such as the one employed in this paper, allows us to identify trends and patterns during the Late Holocene (last 2,500 years) that could remain in the shadows if a microregional scale alone were used. Climatic changes occurred during the Late Holocene and specifically during the Medieval Climatic Anomaly (MCA), ca. 900 BP that were very different from the preceding times. It was proposed that lower lacustrine basins (lowlands) were residentially used by hunter-gatherer populations while the high basaltic plateaus (highlands) show an archaeological signal related to a seasonal logistic strategy. Consequently, it is expected that regional archaeozoological records obtained in different type of basins should follow these archaeological patterns. Spatial distribution of the zooarchaeological record present important differences between the Middle and Late Holocene in terms of skeletal part frequencies and processing evidence that is in agreement with the proposal.
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Papers by Diego Rindel
another outcome of interest is the presence of animal remains deposited by natural processes (rodents, edentates and carnivores). The results are contextualized with available regional ethnohistoric and archaeological information to discuss the role of animal species in the funerary practices of hunter-gatherer populations in southern Patagonia.
impactados. Algunos de los factores que incidieron en este proceso fueron: el momento de adopción de esta especie, los vectores espaciales de dispersión de animales, ciertos factores climáticos y la evaluación de costos y beneficios asociados con la adopción del caballo en relación con los requerimientos nutricionales, el rendimiento calórico y la ecología de este animal. En este trabajo exploramos el impacto que la adopción del caballo habría tenido sobre las poblaciones de Patagonia a través del estudio de fuentes históricas y mediante el análisis comparativo del rendimiento nutricional de los caballos en relación con las presas tradicionalmente explotadas por los grupos de cazadores-recolectores patagónicos (i.e., guanaco). Asimismo, estudiamos los requerimientos
nutricionales de los equinos y la utilización de modelos de distribución de especies para investigar los lugares del espacio patagónico que podían sostener a las poblaciones de caballos. Los resultados indican ejes de dispersión y cronologías de adopción diferentes en los distintos espacios de la Patagonia. Asimismo, planteamos que las diferencias en rendimiento nutricional en relación con las presas tradicionales explican, en parte, su rápida incorporación. Finalmente, señalamos que se produjo una adaptación de las pautas de movilidad de las poblaciones humanas a los requerimientos ecológicos del caballo-
another outcome of interest is the presence of animal remains deposited by natural processes (rodents, edentates and carnivores). The results are contextualized with available regional ethnohistoric and archaeological information to discuss the role of animal species in the funerary practices of hunter-gatherer populations in southern Patagonia.
impactados. Algunos de los factores que incidieron en este proceso fueron: el momento de adopción de esta especie, los vectores espaciales de dispersión de animales, ciertos factores climáticos y la evaluación de costos y beneficios asociados con la adopción del caballo en relación con los requerimientos nutricionales, el rendimiento calórico y la ecología de este animal. En este trabajo exploramos el impacto que la adopción del caballo habría tenido sobre las poblaciones de Patagonia a través del estudio de fuentes históricas y mediante el análisis comparativo del rendimiento nutricional de los caballos en relación con las presas tradicionalmente explotadas por los grupos de cazadores-recolectores patagónicos (i.e., guanaco). Asimismo, estudiamos los requerimientos
nutricionales de los equinos y la utilización de modelos de distribución de especies para investigar los lugares del espacio patagónico que podían sostener a las poblaciones de caballos. Los resultados indican ejes de dispersión y cronologías de adopción diferentes en los distintos espacios de la Patagonia. Asimismo, planteamos que las diferencias en rendimiento nutricional en relación con las presas tradicionales explican, en parte, su rápida incorporación. Finalmente, señalamos que se produjo una adaptación de las pautas de movilidad de las poblaciones humanas a los requerimientos ecológicos del caballo-