Burial 41: a bond between dog and man among hunter-gatherers of La Pampa (Argentina)

BERÓN, M., LUNA, L. Y C. ARANDA.

Austin, Texas, Estados Unidos

Congreso; 72nd Annual Meeting de la Society for American Archaeology. 25 a 29 de abril de 2007.; 2007

Society for American Archaeology.

Burial 41: a bond between dog and man among hunter-gatherers of La Pampa. In this presentation we report a burial corresponding to hunter-gatherers of Dry Pampas. It was recovered from Chenque I site, a prehistoric cemetery located in La Pampa province, Western Pampean Region, center of Argentina. Hunter-gatherer societies made use of this site during the end of the Late Holocene, throughout, at least, 700 years, between 1030 and 370 AP. It is one of the most important hunter-gatherer’s mortuary sites in Argentina. Up to now 42 burial structures have been identified in the site, and have been excavated, 23 % of the total area. So far, a total MNI of 158 individuals have been identified. Burials of both sexes and all age categories, and great variability in mortuary modalities of inhumation have been recorded (simple, multiple, primary, secondary burials, and also a variant not previously registered in the country, named disposition, in which the anatomical structure of the corpse is modified previous to the squeletization process, with soft tissues still present). Up to now 42 burial structures have been identified in the site, and 49 square meters have been excavated, 23 % of the total area. So far, a total MNI of 158 individuals have been identified. Burials of both sexes and all age categories, and great variability in mortuary modalities of inhumation have been recorded (simple, multiple, primary, secondary burials, and also a variant not previously registered in the country, named disposition, in which the anatomical structure of the corpse is modified previous to the squeletization process, with soft tissues still present).