El Cementerio de la Antigua Misión Salesiana "La Candelaria" (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina)

GARCIA LABORDE PAMELA; SUBY JORGE A.; GUICHÓN RICARDO A.; VELÁZQUEZ NADIA J.; BURRY LIDIA SUSANA; PALACIO PATRICIA I.; SEGURA MARIANA; IBAÑEZ ALEJANDRA

Necochea, Quequen. Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva Humana, FACSO, UNCPBA

Congreso; III Congreso de la Asociación de Paleopatología en Sudamérica (PAMinSA III); 2009

Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva Humana (Quequen) FACSO, UNCPBA y Dpto. de Biología, FCEyNAT UNMDP

The Native-European contact process in Tierra del Fuego constitutes a complex phenomenon temporally as well spatially. In 2005, we started studying the health-illness process in the north of the Great Island of Tierra del Fuego at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, specifically in the Salesian Mission “La Candelaria (Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina). The first analyses from historic documents conducted by Casali (2008) suggested that tuberculosis was the main cause of death among natives, and allows generating expectations about diet, activity, health and mobility. The aim of this work is to present the bioarchaeological and paleopathological results obtained from human bone remains of the nine individuals recovered in the fieldworks in 2009 in the sector “superficie 1” of the salesian cemetery of “La Candelaria”, and the two individuals recovered in earlier fieldworks. Moreover, some polinologic results obtained from sediment samples of abdominal cavities are presented. The results of stable isotopes in two individuals agreed with the values available from  native populations of pre contact periods in the north of Tierra del Fuego. The paleopathological results showed lesions attributed to unspecific infectious processes (periostitis), and systemic stress indicators (Harris´ lines, trabecular bone alterations, hipoplasia of dental enamel, hyperostosis porotica, and criba orbitalia) possibly as a result of nutritionalmetabolic disorders. Also, osteoarticular lesions were registered, principally in axial skeleton. Lesions of specific infections, as tuberculosis and other respiratory pathologies, were not found.th and beginning of the 20th century, specifically in the Salesian Mission “La Candelaria (Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina). The first analyses from historic documents conducted by Casali (2008) suggested that tuberculosis was the main cause of death among natives, and allows generating expectations about diet, activity, health and mobility. The aim of this work is to present the bioarchaeological and paleopathological results obtained from human bone remains of the nine individuals recovered in the fieldworks in 2009 in the sector “superficie 1” of the salesian cemetery of “La Candelaria”, and the two individuals recovered in earlier fieldworks. Moreover, some polinologic results obtained from sediment samples of abdominal cavities are presented. The results of stable isotopes in two individuals agreed with the values available from  native populations of pre contact periods in the north of Tierra del Fuego. The paleopathological results showed lesions attributed to unspecific infectious processes (periostitis), and systemic stress indicators (Harris´ lines, trabecular bone alterations, hipoplasia of dental enamel, hyperostosis porotica, and criba orbitalia) possibly as a result of nutritionalmetabolic disorders. Also, osteoarticular lesions were registered, principally in axial skeleton. Lesions of specific infections, as tuberculosis and other respiratory pathologies, were not found.