Pollen analysis from megafauna dung layer from archaeological site in southern Puna of Argentina

BURRY LIDIA SUSANA; NADIA JIMENA VELÁZQUEZ; CAROLINA PÍA WRAAGE; HÉCTOR DANTONI; CARLOS ASCHERO

Londres

Conferencia; The Micropalaeontological Society 50th Anniversary Conference 2020; 2020

University College London

This work is part of project ?Pleistocene population and Holocene occupations in South America, Franco- Argentine Archaeological Mission in Antofagasta de la Sierra (Southern Puna Argentina)?. In this region exist archaeological sites dated between 10500 and 3000 years 14C BP. The last data analysis of archaeological remains recovered in recent excavations at Cacao 1.A. site (25°54?46? S/67°20?27.1?W, 3755 asl.) are being discussed because would indicate a increase in the temporal depth assigned for the first human occupations in this Andean sector, with dates c.41,000-39,000 years BP. Layer 5 (37,000 to 40,000 years 14C BP) is a stratum of megafauna dung with evidence of human occupation. The aim of this study is to know paleoenvironmental aspects through palynological analysis of a sediment sample of layer 5. The first results show the presence of Poaceae, Asteraceae subf. Asteroideae, A. subf. Mutisoideae, Apiaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Solanaceae, Rubiaceae and Caryophyllaceae. These taxa have representative species of Puna vegetation. Pollen preservation was good, wrinkledgrain, broken grain and degraded grains were also recorded. This information allows increasing the knowledge about some vegetations components of Antofagasta de la Sierra ca. 40000 years BP.