Taphonomy and Late Holocene paleoenvironments from Epullán Chica´s zooarchaeological record (Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina)

EMILIANO MANGE; FERNANDO J. FERNÁNDEZ; AGUSTÍN CORDERO; PABLO TETA; ULYSES PARDIÑAS; EDUARDO CRIVELLI MONTERO

San Rafael

Congreso; 12th Conferencia ICAZ (International Council for Archaeozoology); 2014

Faunistic assemblages of the Epullán Chica cave archaeological site (ECh; 40º23?10??S, 70º11?44??W, 680 m.a.s.l., North-western Patagonia, Argentina) are studied from taphonomic and paleoenvironmental points of view. The site is located in Monte-Patagonia Ecotone near to Occidental District of the Patagonian unit, in the upper Limay River basin and presents a chronology related to the Late Holocene (2.2 ky 14C BP-20th century). The recording of fresh-water mollusc shells (Diplodon chilensis), abundant eggshells and bone fragments of Rhea pennata, bones of passeriform birds, bones and teeth of large-sized (Lama guanicoe), medium (e.g., Chaetophractus villosus, Zaedyus pichiy, Conepatus chinga) and small-sized mammals (several species of sigmodontine and caviomorph rodents), indicates a large taxonomic richness. Most of the taxa recorded at ECh show several evidences of human exploitation (e.g., cut marks, burned bones and eggshells, negative flake scars). Moreover, the finding of pellets preserved in the stratigraphy and light digestive corrosion on remains of passeriforms, sigmodontines and part of the caviomorphs, suggest owl predation (probably Tyto alba). Finally, the species (mainly micromammals) recorded at ECh show a great stability across the sequence, and point out that the development of open area with herbaceous steppe environments, related to bodies of water and large rocky outcrops, remained basically unchanged during the last 2.2 ky BP.