The role of plant production in subsistence and cultural changes during the formative period in the Atacama Puna, Southern Andes, Chile (1400BC-500AD) : a re-evaluation based on the analyses of microfossils attached to hoes and grinding tools, and isotopic analyses of human bones
The onset of agriculture is an important research topic in archaeology. Nonetheless, several areas of the world still lack sufficient datasets to participate critically within this debate. This is the case for the western slope of the Puna de Atacama, where explanations about plant production have been based on limited evidence resulting in assumptions about the role of agriculture associated with the Formative. More recent research in the Americas has acknowledged the diversity of developments taking place during the Formative period, including regional differences in the degree of wild and domestic plants food production. This research identifies and analyses new evidence in order to revaluate current hypothesis and models of plant production in the Atacama. The analyses are based on the identification of plant microfossils taken from hoes and grinding tools and isotopes within human bones (ÎŽ13Ccol, ÎŽ13Cap, ÎŽ15N, ÎŽ18O, Sr87/Sr86). The result of these analyses argues that crops in the area were limited or absent and highlights different levels and managements for native plants such as Scirpus, Cactaceae and still unidentified tubers. Insightsâ regarding an anthropical origin of Prosopis forests and
McRostie, V. B.
The role of plant production in subsistence and cultural changes during the formative period in the Atacama Puna, Southern Andes, Chile (1400BC-500AD) : a re-evaluation based on the analyses of microfossils attached to hoes and grinding tools, and isotopic analyses of human bones. The onset of agriculture is an important research topic in archaeology. Nonetheless, several areas of the world still lack sufficient datasets to participate critically within this debate. This is the case for the western slope of the Puna de Atacama, where explanations about plant production have been based on limited evidence resulting in assumptions about the role of agriculture associated with the Formative. More recent research in the Americas has acknowledged the diversity of developments taking place during the Formative period, including regional differences in the degree of wild and domestic plants food production. This research identifies and analyses new evidence in order to revaluate current hypothesis and models of plant production in the Atacama. The analyses are based on the identification of plant microfossils taken from hoes and grinding tools and isotopes within human bones (ÎŽ13Ccol, ÎŽ13Cap, ÎŽ15N, ÎŽ18O, Sr87/Sr86). The result of these analyses argues that crops in the area were limited or absent and highlights different levels and managements for native plants such as Scirpus, Cactaceae and still unidentified tubers. Insightsâ regarding an anthropical origin of Prosopis forests and
role plant production subsistence cultural_change formative_period southern chile re_evaluation base analysis attach grind tool isotopic_analysis human_bone onset agriculture important topic archaeology nonetheless several area world still_lack sufficient datasets participate critically within debate case western slope explanation plant production base limited evidence result assumption role agriculture associate formative recent americas acknowledge diversity development take_place formative_period include regional_difference degree wild_domestic plant_food production identifies analyse new_evidence order current hypothesis model plant production analysis base identification plant take grind tool isotope within human_bone analysis argue crop area limit absent highlight different_level management native plant still unidentified insights regard origin forest