Taphonomic Effects of a Grassland Fire on a Modern Faunal Sample and its Implications for the Archaeological Record

MASSIGOGE, A.; KAUFMANN, C. A.; ÁLVAREZ, M. C.; GONZÁLEZ, M. I.; RAFUSE, D. J.; SCHEIFLER, N. A.; GUTIÉRREZ, M. A.

Journal of Taphonomy

The Palaentological Network Foundation

Lugar: Madrid; Año: 2017 p. 77 - 90

1696-0815

The main objective of this paper is to characterize the pattern of thermal alteration in a sample ofmodern bones collected after a natural grassland fire in the Pampas region (Argentina). A total of917 bone remains were recovered, including a variety of different body size taxa. Results suggestthat natural grassland fires affect bone remains in a more severe way than previouslydocumented. In general, a high proportion of bones with thermal alteration (70%) were recordedfor the different body size categories, with calcined bones dominating the sample. Somedifferences in the burning damage in relation to the size classes were found, specifically a higherfrequency of thermal alteration in small sized vertebrates. For this particular size class, thehomogeneous distribution of the burning damage in long bones and mandibles could indicate anatural grassland fire, unlike the heterogeneous distribution produced by cooking.