Development and scopes in paleopathology in Argentina

ARANDA, CLAUDIA; BAFFI, INES; FABRA, MARIANA; FLENSBORG, GUSTAVO; GARCIA GURAIEB, SOLANA; GHEGGI, SOLEDAD; GORDON, FLORENCIA; GUICHON, RICARDO; LUNA, LEANDRO; NOVELLINO, PAULA; PLISCHUK, MARCOS; PONCE, PAOLA; SCABUZZO, CLARA; SELDES, VERONICA; SUBY, JORGE

Necochea, Provincia de Buenos Aires

Congreso; III Paleopathology Association Meeting in South America; 2009

Paleopathology Association

The objective of this paper is to present a synthesis of some of the research projects that are currently being developed in Argentina related to issues in palaeopathology. It will also make reference to those projects being undertaken by academics working outside Argentina. The territory of Argentina occupies approximately two million eight hundred thousand square kilometres of the southernmost continental area of South America. There is evidence of human occupation in Argentina from at least 13.000 years BP. For this presentation, current projects taking place in six different regions of the country will be considered (North-west, North-east, Central region, Cuyo, the Pampas and Patagonian regions). In each particular case, this paper will make reference to the objectives, hypothesis, materials and methods, results, perspectives and funding. In the majority of the cases the research is taken place within a framework of archaeological projects, paying attention to a variety of topics including hunter-gatherers and agriculturalists groups. Likewise, a number of valuable studies are being carried out with samples belonging to contemporaneous osteological assemblages. Starting from the results obtained to date, the aim is to contribute information to give a step forward in the incorporation of our country into the worldwide scene of palaeopathology research.