Abstract

GORDILLO, Sandra. Archaeomalacological records in central Argentina: the use of Megalobulimus and other mollusks in personal beads and ornaments. Intersecciones antropol. [online]. 2021, vol.22, n.1, pp.83-96.  Epub June 01, 2021. ISSN 1850-373X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.37176/iea.22.1.2021.593.

This paper presents an updated frame of reference for mollusks from archaeological contexts in museum collections in order to understand the use of malacological artifacts within the province of Córdoba, Argentina. A set of artifacts (N = 1944) was interpreted as personal or symbolic beads and ornaments. Among the autochthonous raw materials, the terrestrial gastropod Megalobulimus predominates, and, to a lesser extent, allochthonous species are also represented, the marine snail Urosalpinx haneti being the most frequent. The available information indicates that during the initial late Holocene, the Megalobulimus morphospecies constituted an element of symbolic use in restricted spaces, and that by the end of the late Holocene it had become widespread in the territory. Megalobulimus artefacts were probably produced locally in each region, giving rise to a great variety of designs. This paper provides novel information about the species, their origin and distribution, as well as the variability of designs and uses during the late Holocene. The informative potential of the collections studied to provide useful data for unveiling aspects of the material and symbolic culture of human groups that inhabited the region during the period considered is highlighted.

Keywords : Central Argentina; Museum collections; Archaeomalacology; Late Holocene.

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