Abstract

VAZQUEZ, Romina Clara; ARCHUBY, Fernando  and  BEGUELIN, Marien. Tafonomía de los restos óseos humanos arqueológicos del noroeste de la Patagonia: un abordaje regional y multidisciplinario evidencia la relación entre el entorno y la preservación. Intersecciones antropol. [online]. 2022, vol.23, n.1, pp.99-116. ISSN 1850-373X.  http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.37176/iea.23.1.2022.668.

This paper presents the first multidisciplinary and regional taphonomic study of human remains recovered from thirty archaeological sites from Neuquén province, Northwestern Patagonia, representing different geoenvironmental settings and chronologies (Mid-Late Holocene to post-contact). A database consisting of 14 types of taphonomic alterations on 109 individuals was created to assess the influence of geoenvironment agents (sedimentary matrix, climate, vegetation, geomorphology, soil, altitude, and distance to water courses) and chronology on bone preservation. The data sets were analyzed through multiple statistical methods at the levels of site, individuals from the entire sample, and individuals from Aquihuecó site alone (due to its high number of burials). Intrinsic variables such as sex and age were evaluated at the level of individuals, although the difficulty of the estimation of their states imposed limits on the inference of their relevance. Results indicate the presence of two patterns of bone preservation that are associated with specific geoenvironmental characteristics identified for the study area. One pattern was defined as destructive diagenesis, characterized by sites with relatively younger, badly preserved bones, typically from humid climates, with acidic sediments and lower temperatures. The second pattern, non-destructive diagenesis, is distinguished by sites with relatively older, well-preserved bones, characteristically present in arid climates, with alkaline sediments and higher temperatures. Although exceptions exist, they can be assigned to the complex interplay of the different variables acting during the taphonomic history of bones. This model helps to better interpret the preservation of human bones

in archaeological sites of Northern Patagonia.

Keywords : Bone diagenesis; Burial environment; Macroscopic alteration; Regional taphonomy.

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