Fishbone assemblages in the Beagle Channel Region: the implication of fish in the subsistence of southern South American sea-nomads

ZANGRANDO A. F.

Basilea - Suiza

Workshop; 13th Fish Remains Working Group Meeting -ICAZ-; 2005

ICAZ

The Magellan-Fuegian islands and channels (Southern South America) formed a distinct geographical and cultural area, where intensification of the human use of littoral resources was developed during the mid- and late-Holocene. This contribution emphasises the fish exploitation and its implications for human subsistence. Although fish were probably a supplemental resource, the diversity of species present in the archaeological assemblages of this area shows that a wide variety of fishing strategies were in place.Fish remains from seven archaeological sites located in Beagle Channel region are discussed. This ichthyoarchaeological analysis points out the existence of spatial and temporal variability in fish exploitation. Even thought, in the mid Holocene, the intensity of fish use changed in different microenvironment conditions, the fishbone assemblages are dominated by hakes (Merlucciidae family) and sardines (Clupeidae family), which indicate that fishing activities could have occurred primarily during summer. An intensification of human exploitation of fish was developed in the late Holocene. During this time period, rockfish (Notothenidae family) are more abundant in archaeological assemblages than other species. These tendencies may have been related to variations in sea-mammals exploitation and in spatial organization of southern South American hunter-gatherers.