Late Holocene Zooarchaeology of Antumpa. Analysis of camelids exploitatin in the nothern sector of the Humahuaca Quebrada

ANAHÍ HERNÁNDEZ

San Rafael, Mendoza

Conferencia; 12da Conferencia Internacional de Arqueozoología; 2014

Museo de Historia Natural, San Rafael e International Council for Archaeozoology

The aim of this work is to present the results obtained from azooachaeological analysis of the faunal remains from the Antumpaarchaeological site, which is located in the northern area of theHumahuca Quebrada (Jujuy province, Argentia). Even though thesite shows a wide sequence of occupation, this work emphasizesthe analysis of the dated stratiraphic archaeofaunal record from1.640 ± 10 BP. to 1.330 ± 70 years BP. The zooarchaeological analysisfocuses mainly on the taxonomic composition of the sample andits implications for the subsistence of the human populations thatinhabited the site in the past. Specifially, the camelids prevail inthe site records over others taxa (Hippocamelus antiensis, Rheaamericana, Lagidium sp., Chaetophractus vellerosus). Consideringthat the faunal exploitation being carried out in Antumpa focusedpractically exclusively on camelids, a traditional osteometricanalysis is performed on postcranial elements corresponding tothis taxon. The data obtained is analyzed using univariate andmultivariate statistical analysis with the purpose of discriminatingbetween large camelids (Lama guanicoe; Lama glama) and smallcamelids (Vicugna vicugna), and, if possible, discerning thepresence of wild and domestic species at the site