Forests, steppes, and coastlines: zooarchaeology and the prehistoric exploitation of Patagonian habitats

BORRERO, L.

The Oxford Handbook of Zooarchaeology

Oxford University Press

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2017; p. 700 - 717

The human colonization of southern Patagonia began over 11,500 radiocarbon years bp.The first colonizers exploited Pleistocene megamammals and camelids. During the EarlyHolocene, after the extinction of the megamammals, hunter-gatherers concentrated onthe exploitation of camelids. During the Middle Holocene a full exploitation of coastalresources began?pinnipeds, molluscs, and coastal birds. The main trends observed in theexploitation of these animals through time were in the intensity of utilization. Huemul andRheidae were discontinuously exploited in the interior, particularly in the forests. On thecoasts, molluscs, fish, and birds complemented the human diet, especially during the LateHolocene. The main subsistence changes after the European contact resulted from theintroduction of sheep and horses.