El paraje Ewan, un lugar de reunión Selknam en el centro de la isla (Tierra del Fuego)

IGOR BOGDANOVIC, EDGAR CAMAROS, HERNÁN DE ANGELIS, ADRIANA LASA, M. ESTELA MANSUR, ALFREDO MAXIMIANO, VANESA PARMIGIANI, RAQUEL PIQUÉ, Y ORIOL VICENTE

Arqueología de la Patagonia. Una mirada desde el último confin

Utopias

Lugar: Ushuaia; Año: 2009; p. 941 - 955

Investigations carried out since 2003 in Tierra del Fuego were focused on the analysis of two sites at the Ewan locality. Ewan I is located in a clearing in the forest, and it conserves parts of a hut structure; Ewan II is inside the forest, under the ground, formed by a smaller structure. They are separated by an intermediate area about 200 m long. This settlement pattern is coherent with that described in the ethnographic literature for the Hain ceremony. Excavation and analysis of both sites allowed to propose a model where Ewan I is considered as a ceremonial hut and Ewan II as a domestic unit. In order to contrast the model, new surveys were developped around Ewan II, using methodologies adapted to the environmental characteristics of the forest and the hypothesis proposed. In this paper we present the design and methodology of surveys and their results. Three new fireplaces were discovered, thus bringing the number of domestic units to four at least. The spatial pattern of units and the results from different analysis (zooarchaeological, archaeobotanical, etc.) on Ewan I and Ewan II materials let confirm the model proposed about ceremonial utilisations of the site.