Abstract

FERNANDEZ, Fernando Julián; MOREIRA, Germán; BALLEJO, Fernando  and  DE SANTIS, Luciano. NEW RECORDS OF BIRDS RECOVERED FROM THE LATE HOLOCENE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE LAGUNA EL SOSNEADO (LS-3), SOUTHERN MENDOZA: TAPHONOMIC ASPECTS. Intersecciones antropol. [online]. 2009, vol.10, n.2, pp.327-342. ISSN 1850-373X.

Until now, no record of the taphonomic aspects of bird remains in an archaeological context had been documented for the study area. The main goals of this paper are to conduct the qualitative and quantitative taxonomical characterization of a sample of birds, mainly Passeriformes, from Holocene sediments of southern Mendoza Province, and to study the intervening taphonomic processes in an archaeofaunal context. The archaeofaunistic sample was compared to modern owl pellet samples in order to determine the process of accumulation of bone aggregates. The main agent responsible for this accumulation was a Strigiformes bird, possibly Tyto alba. In addition, the postdepositional agents and processes with greatest incidence on the formation of the archaeofaunistic aggregate were trampling, corrosive action of roots, and effects of soil humidity which contributed to faster destruction of bone elements. The remarkably poor representation of Passeriformes in archaeofaunistical contexts is largely due to their osteological characteristics. On the basis of the ecological features of the recovered taxones, which are currently distributed throughout the area, it was concluded that the site location could represent an ecotonal area established during the late Holocene.

Keywords : Birds; Taphonomy; Late Holocene; Southern Mendoza.

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