Archaeological Earthen Mound Complex in Patos Lagoon, Southern Brazil

Chronological Model and Freshwater Influence

Bibliographic Data

ID9244653
AuthorsRafael Guedes Milheira (0000-0002-6503-8806), Kita Macario (0000-0002-0581-9854), Ingrid Silva Chanca (0000-0003-0933-5838), Eduardo Queiroz Alves (0000-0003-0919-326X)
Year2017
Volume59
Issue1
Pages195-214
Publication date2017-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueRadiocarbon (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0033-8222 • E-ISSN: 1945-5755
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/rdc.2017.5
OpenAlexW2595795044
LanguageEN
Citations received21
References cited63

In the present work, we assess the chronology of archaeological sites known as earthen mounds, commonly found at the Pampas biome, among the lowlands of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. We focused on the Pontal da Barra settlement, which is a testimony of the long-term occupation of indigenous groups in the swamp and wet environment of Patos Lagoon, southern Brazil. A Bayesian chronological model based on the radiocarbon ( 14 C) dating of 17 samples of fish otolith, 5 charcoal fragments, and 2 bones (human and dog) allowed determination of the beginning of the occupation as well as the occupational synchronism of the different mounds. The nature of the samples allows us to study the local 14 C reservoir effect through the comparison between the group of marine and terrestrial samples, deriving a reservoir offset value of 63±53 14 C yr for this particular area, indicating a strong freshwater influence in the lagoon system. We estimate the start of human intervention in the landscapes of southern Patos Lagoon to be around 2200 cal BP, with the most intense activity between 1800 and 1200 cal BP

Archaeology · Biome · Ecosystem · Geography · Physical geography · Prehistory · Radiocarbon dating · Swamp · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Isotope Analysis in Ecology · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology · Ecology · Geology · Oceanography