The shrinkage cracks and the diameter of the log: a experimental approach toward fuel management by Patagonian hunter-gatherer (Paredón Lanfré site. R?o Negro Province, Argentin)

CARUSO FERME, L.; THERY-PARISOT, I.; CARRE, A.; FERNANDEZ, P. M.

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences

Springer

Lugar: Verlag Berlin Heidelberg; Año: 2017 vol. 9 p. 1 - 9

1866-9557

The anthracological study of Paredón Lanfré(Patagonia, Argentina) highlights the presence of radial crackswith a marked difference between the percentage of affectedconiferous charcoal (Fitzroya cupressoides and Austrocedruschilensis) compared to the angiosperms (e.g., Nothofagusantarctica and Nothofagus dombeyi). The aim of this work wasto obtain experimental comparison data from two Patagonianconifers to understand the prehistoric combustion behavior ofthe region. These results showed a discrepancy between the averageof shrinkage cracks made with green wood fires and thosewith dry wood fires. The study of the caliber of charcoal recoveredfrom Paredón Lanfré showed significant differences betweenthe samples of F. cupressoides and A. chilensis. The calculationof correlation between size and shrinkage cracks suggestsfor both species that the size is not related to the number ofregistered shrinkage cracks in charcoal studied. Therefore, thegauge would not be a variable which could influence the presenceof shrinkage cracks in the charcoal. Consequently, the differenceof average shrinkage cracks between the two specimensmay result from another variable that remains to beidentified