Reconstruction of Fire History using "dry" sediments, an approach for microcharcoal studies from the Sierras Pampeanas, NW Argentina

LINDSKOUG, H. ; MARCONETTO M. B.

Environmental Archaeology

Taylor & Francis

Año: 2017 p. 1 - 18

1461-4103

A new accessible and easy method for studying past fire events using ?dry sediments? is presented. The samples were extracted from the Ambato Valley in NW Argentina were 17 locations were sampled to study fire regimens in the area. The investigation is based on earlier researchers? methods and provides guidelines to work with microcharcoals as a palaeoenvironmental proxy. The procedures includes sampling/extraction in the field, preparations of the samples and analysis in a laboratory environment and quantification of the samples. The technique was useful to meet the objectives and answer the questions initially proposed in our research about past fire regimens affecting the past Aguada society in the Ambato Valley.