Microstratigraphy of Shell Middens of Tierra del Fuego

VILA, A.; ESTEVEZ ESCALERA, J.; PIANA, E.L.; MADELLA M.; BARCELÓ, J.A.; ZURRO, D.; CLEMENTE, I.; TERRADAS, X.; VERDÚN,E.; PIQUÉ, R.; MAMELI, L.; BRIZ, I.

Humans Evolution and Environment

BAR

Lugar: Oxford; Año: 2010; p. 109 - 119

The results of the joint research of Spanish and Argentinean teams since 1986 on shell middens of Tierra del Fuego can be useful guidelines for excavating and explaining similar archaeological sites around the world. We assume that human activity is organized in space and time and, as a consequence the random, non-random or homogeneous structure the resulting archaeological evidence has to be demonstrated before assuming a palimpsest nature of the deposit. We show the possibilities and relevance of recovering microstratigraphy of shell middens and discuss the need of using sampling methods that cover a wide surface of short discrete occupation episodes.