Rodent exploitation by Patagonian hunter-gatherers societies since late Holocene: from the archaeological evidence to the historical record

The small mammals observed in the archaeological records made us think about the way they were exploited and the extension of these practices in Patagonia, continental and insular. This paper proposes that some species of Caviomorpha rodents were intensively exploited by hunter-gatherers societies w...

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Main Authors: Analía ANDRADE, M.ª Teresa BOSCHÍN
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca 2015-06-01
Series:Zephyrus
Subjects:
Online Access:https://revistas.usal.es/index.php/0514-7336/article/view/13054
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author Analía ANDRADE
M.ª Teresa BOSCHÍN
author_facet Analía ANDRADE
M.ª Teresa BOSCHÍN
author_sort Analía ANDRADE
collection DOAJ
description The small mammals observed in the archaeological records made us think about the way they were exploited and the extension of these practices in Patagonia, continental and insular. This paper proposes that some species of Caviomorpha rodents were intensively exploited by hunter-gatherers societies who lived in Patagonia since late Holocene. Bones, meat and skin of the animals were used. From the available documentation it has been possible to state this practice continued until last century. In addition we have verified the gathering activity was guided by sex and age, and linked with the biological and social reproduction. To give support to these assumptions we made taphonomic analysis on the small mammal assemblages and we revised historical and ethnographical documents. The information comes from two periods: colonial, s. XVI-XVIII and independent, s. XIX-XX. The use of small mammals and its predilection by Patagonian populations was recorded since the first contact episode back to 1520. For <em>selk’nam </em>people from northern Tierra del Fuego it became even one of the main food items and considered a delicacy.
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spelling doaj.art-aad949b08409460db6b8fa502c2fa6df2022-12-21T20:16:32ZengEdiciones Universidad de SalamancaZephyrus0514-73362386-39432015-06-0175010712410.14201/zephyrus20157510712412074Rodent exploitation by Patagonian hunter-gatherers societies since late Holocene: from the archaeological evidence to the historical recordAnalía ANDRADE0M.ª Teresa BOSCHÍN1Centro Nacional Patagónico (CENPAT-CONICET)Centro Nacional Patagónico (CENPAT-CONICET)The small mammals observed in the archaeological records made us think about the way they were exploited and the extension of these practices in Patagonia, continental and insular. This paper proposes that some species of Caviomorpha rodents were intensively exploited by hunter-gatherers societies who lived in Patagonia since late Holocene. Bones, meat and skin of the animals were used. From the available documentation it has been possible to state this practice continued until last century. In addition we have verified the gathering activity was guided by sex and age, and linked with the biological and social reproduction. To give support to these assumptions we made taphonomic analysis on the small mammal assemblages and we revised historical and ethnographical documents. The information comes from two periods: colonial, s. XVI-XVIII and independent, s. XIX-XX. The use of small mammals and its predilection by Patagonian populations was recorded since the first contact episode back to 1520. For <em>selk’nam </em>people from northern Tierra del Fuego it became even one of the main food items and considered a delicacy.https://revistas.usal.es/index.php/0514-7336/article/view/13054argentinaroedores caviomorfostafonomíaaprovechamiento integralcultura e ideología
spellingShingle Analía ANDRADE
M.ª Teresa BOSCHÍN
Rodent exploitation by Patagonian hunter-gatherers societies since late Holocene: from the archaeological evidence to the historical record
Zephyrus
argentina
roedores caviomorfos
tafonomía
aprovechamiento integral
cultura e ideología
title Rodent exploitation by Patagonian hunter-gatherers societies since late Holocene: from the archaeological evidence to the historical record
title_full Rodent exploitation by Patagonian hunter-gatherers societies since late Holocene: from the archaeological evidence to the historical record
title_fullStr Rodent exploitation by Patagonian hunter-gatherers societies since late Holocene: from the archaeological evidence to the historical record
title_full_unstemmed Rodent exploitation by Patagonian hunter-gatherers societies since late Holocene: from the archaeological evidence to the historical record
title_short Rodent exploitation by Patagonian hunter-gatherers societies since late Holocene: from the archaeological evidence to the historical record
title_sort rodent exploitation by patagonian hunter gatherers societies since late holocene from the archaeological evidence to the historical record
topic argentina
roedores caviomorfos
tafonomía
aprovechamiento integral
cultura e ideología
url https://revistas.usal.es/index.php/0514-7336/article/view/13054
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