DISTRIBUTION, ANTIQUITY AND NICHE OF PRE-COLUMBIAN GUARANÍ AMAZONIAN HORTICULTURALISTS IN THE MISIONES RAINFOREST, ARGENTINA

LOPONTE, D; CARBONERA, M

Pesquisas, Antropología

Universidade do Vale do Río dos Sinos

Lugar: Sao Leopoldo; Año: 2017 p. 5 - 30

2594-5645

In this paper we present the known distribution of the archaeological record generated byAmazonian horticulturalists, included within the Guaraní archaeological unit, in theprovince of Misiones, Argentina. Its distribution is evaluated according to theenvironmental risk conditions and the ecological niche construction. It is observed that,although there are Guaraní materials throughout the provincial territory, the greatestdensities of finds and the identification of great archaeological sites from this unit occur inthe ecological stratum of the Paranaense jungle below 300 masl, and are associated withthe areas closest to the Paraná and Uruguay rivers. This distribution seems to be theresult of the selection of landscapes where stable and predictable agronomic conditionsare articulated, including soils more suitable for slash and burn agriculture, as well asgreater richness, predictability and fauna density, and convenience for cargotransportation and fluvial communication. This population distribution may also have been influenced concurrently by the presence of other horticultural groups, who were absolutecompetitors for the resources to be found in the central highlands and steep slope areas.The colonization process of Misiones by these groups copies a similar pattern carried outby this metapopulation throughout southeastern South America.