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Early Coastal Subsistence Patterns in Central Chile: A Systematic Study of the Marine-Invertebrate Fauna from the Site of Curaumilla-1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Antonieta Jerardino ,
Juan C. Castilla ,
José Miguel Ramírez  and
Nuriluz Hermosilla
Antonieta Jerardino
Affiliation:
Spatial Archaeology Research Unit, Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700, Cape Town, South Africa
Juan C. Castilla
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile
José Miguel Ramírez
Affiliation:
Museo Sociedad Fonck, Casilla 951, Viña del Mar, Chile
Nuriluz Hermosilla
Affiliation:
Museo Sociedad Fonck, Casilla 951, Viña del Mar, Chile
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Abstract

Curaumilla-1 presents the earliest date for Archaic coastal occupation and marine exploitation in central Chile (8,500 years B. P.). The remains of marine invertebrates from this site at Punta Curaumilla were studied. The number of present species, minimum number of individuals for 14 species, and mean sizes of two of these species were established. Recent studies have demonstrated that modern shellfish gatherers are important modifiers of rocky-intertidal communities in central Chile. Consequently, we attempt here to define the probable ecological role of past people at Punta Curaumilla as shellfish gatherers. The molluscan species present at Curaumilla-1 are much the same as those exploited at present by shellfish gatherers in central Chile. Two pulses of occupation were identified within the Archaic and Early Ceramic periods respectively. During these events it is likely that Precolumbian people may have temporarily or permanently modified sectors of the rocky intertidal at Punta Curaumilla.

El sitio de Curaumilla-1 presenta la fecha más temprana de ocupación costera durante el Período Arcaico y de explotación marina en Chile central (8500 años A. P.). Los restos de invertebrados marinos de este sitio en Punta Curaumilla fueron estudiados. Se estableció el número de especies presentes, el número mínimo de individuos en 14 especies y la talla promedio de dos de estas especies. Estudios recientes han demostrado que en el presente los mariscadores son importantes modificadores de las comunidades marinas del intermareal rocoso de Chile central. Por consiguiente, en este trabajo intentamos definir el posible papel ecológico de la población indígena precolombina como mariscadores de orilla en Punta Curaumilla. Las especies de moluscos presentes en Curaumilla-1 son casi las mismas especies explotadas en el presente por mariscadores en Chile central. Dos marcados episodios de ocupación fueron reconocidos en cada uno de los períodos Arcaico y Cerámico Temprano respectivamente. Durante estos eventos, es muy posible que grupos humanos precolombinos hayan modificado temporalmente o permanentemente sectores del intermareal rocoso en Punta Curaumilla.

Type
Articles
Information
Latin American Antiquity , Volume 3 , Issue 1 , March 1992 , pp. 43 - 62
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1992

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