Historical contingencies in native fishing activities of the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina): the case of Imiwaia I site

ZANGRANDO, A.F.; MARTINOLI, M.P.

Tallinn

Workshop; 17th Meeting of the ICAZ Fish Remains Working Group; 2013

University of Tallinn

Hunter-fisher-gatherers societies of the Beagle Channel used diverse fish resources along their history (6400 - 100 years BP). Recent regional studies based on zooarchaeological evidence suggest that these societies intensified fishing activities during the Late Holocene, in both coastal and pelagic environments. This intensification was characterized by a significant increased in fishing of benthonic coastal species, and by a more systematic and diversified exploitation of pelagic species involving an extension to offshore sectors for resource procurement. Imiwaia I is a multi-component site, which was occupied between 5900 and 1500 years BP. In this paper we present and discuss the results of ichthyoarchaeological analyzes developed for three assemblages: layers M, L and K (5900 and 5700 years BP - NSP =51729), layer D (3000 years BP - NSP = 10543) and layer B (1500 years BP - NSP = 6524). Along the archaeological sequence of Imiwaia I site, an important increase of pelagic species is observed: for example, Merluccius australis and Thyrsites atun have representations of 4% and 2% respectively in Middle Holocene assemblages, while the same species have 67% and 85% in assemblages of the Late Holocene; this is consistent with the regional patterns mentioned above. Nevertheless, coastal fish resources decrease along time, from a representation of 34% in Middle Holocene assemblages to 8% in later layers. We argue here that this discrepancy with the regional record is due to changes occurred in the geomorphology of the Imiwaia Bay, affecting the marine conditions of the coast and the availability of coastal fish.