Distinguishing between cultural and natural depositional agents: Micromammal taphonomy from the archaeological site Cueva y Paredón Loncomán (Patagonia, Argentina)

ANALIA ANDRADE

Journal of Archaeological Science: reports

Elsevier

Año: 2015 vol. 3 p. 122 - 131

2352-409X

This paper presents the research achievements to understand the formation processes of north Patagonia archaeologicalsites through the study of small mammal's assemblages. Our research area is an arid and central region;in particular, ourwork is focused on Cueva y Paredón Loncomán, a rock shelter used by hunter?gatherer societiesthrough the last 2000 years BP.Small mammal's assemblageswere employed to differentiate cultural and naturaldeposition agents. The analysis included bone patterns of cranial and post-cranial remains which were performedseparately for Caviomorpha and Cricetidae rodents. The taphonomic analysis included the estimationof the MNE and MNI, the relative abundance, the breakage degree and the representation of skeletal elements.Heat alteration of bone surface and the presence of cut marks and digestion traces were also included in ourresearch. The disintegration of pellets regurgitated by owls was the main cause of accumulation of the smallmammal's assemblages. The overrepresentation of skull bones and distal elements of the limbs, the high degreeof fragmentation, and a defined pattern of thermal alteration ? mostly affecting distal segments of the long bones,especially tibias, incisors, premaxillaes and mandibles ? suggested human consumption of some Caviomorpharodents inside the cave. Two new species, the rodents Ctenomys sp. and Microcavia australis were incorporatedinto the list of species exploited by hunter?gatherers from the northern Patagonian steppes.