A study of cordage recovered from Cueva Epullán Chica (Patagonia, Argentina): postharvest practices from hunter-gatherers at Late Holocene times

LAURA CIAMPAGNA; AILÍN GUILLERMO; EMILIANO MANGE; EDUARDO CRIVELLI MONTERO; FERNÁNDEZ, FERNANDO J.; AYLEN CAPPARELLI

Berna

Congreso; 25th EAA Annual Meeting; 2019

European Association of Archaeologists

Basketry and cordage remains are scarcely recovered in archaeological sites of Argentinian Patagonia, probably because of the poor preservation potential of this kind of plant material. In this context, cordage preserved in an archaeological site of north Patagonia is relevant. The aim of this communication is to present the taxonomical identification of twenty two desiccated pieces of cordage of Cueva Epullán Chica cave -ECh- (Collón Curá Department, Neuquén, Argentina). ECh is an archaeological site in a small cave with rock art, located in the middle Limay River valley. The characteristic vegetation of the area corresponds to the Monte-Patagonia ecotone. In successive field season between 1989 and 1992, human, faunal, lithic and vegetal remains were recovered in stratigraphic position. Based on radiocarbon dates, four periods of occupation were defined from 2200 years BP until the 20th century. The archaeological record shows general uniformity throughout the sequence. A subsample of 84 macro-remains -inflorescences, fruits, seeds, leaves, woods- of the late period of occupation (1500 years BP to the 20th century) was studied in a previous project. Among the identified taxa are: Larrea sp., Schinus sp., Adesmia sp., Ephedra sp., Colliguaja integerrima and aff. Chuquiraga erinaceae. In this presentation, histological sections of cordage were observed with stereoscopic and optical microscope and compared with herbarium material from the Monte and the Patagonian steppe. Some taxa, such as Juncus sp., were employed for manufacturing cordage. Attributes and features of this technology are described. These results were compared with basketry from Epullán Grande cave, distant 100 m from ECh. Based in these results, the harvesting and postharvest practices concerning plants and manufacture techniques are discussed.