Abstract

L'HEUREUX, Gabriela L.  and  BORRERO, Luis A.. Pautas para el reconocimiento de conjuntos óseos antrópicos y no antrópicos de guanaco en Patagonia. Intersecciones antropol. [online]. 2002, n.3, pp.29-41. ISSN 1850-373X.

A number of criteria previously proposed to recognize human-derived guanaco (Lama guanicoe) bone assemblages (Borrero 1989) are examined, and others are proposed. The classic indicators, like presence of cut-marks or lateral blows and the association with artifacts, are insufficient to study the human involvement in the accumulation of a given assemblage of bones. The study of three primary deposits is presented in this paper as a way to discuss other criteria. The three cases involve guanaco skeletons recently deposited in the steppe environment of Southern Patagonia. Those skeletons were semi-articulated when recorded, and serve as a test of the capacity of the available criteria to discriminate non/human and human-derived bone assemblages. The validity of some of the criteria is questionable. A contextual analysis, in which the more powerful criteria are integrated is suggested as the best way to approach the study of the integrity of bone assemblages.

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