Abstract

FERNANDEZ, Rocío Guichón; BORELLA, Florencia  and  GURAIEB, Solana García. CARNIVORE ACTIVITY ASSESSMENT IN A SINGLE SECONDARY BURIAL FROM SAN ANTONIO BAY, PROVINCE OF RÍO NEGRO. Comechingonia [online]. 2021, vol.25, n.1, pp.1-20. ISSN 1851-0027.

The action of carnivores on human remains has been scarcely addressed in bioarchaeological investigations in Patagonia. The incidence of this agent in human bodies has been explored mainly in forensic studies worldwide, which have developed a robust methodology possible to be applied to archaeological cases. This paper presents the analysis of an incomplete adult individual with carnivore modifications found in Centro Minero-Criadero de Ostras site (northern coast of San Matías Gulf, Río Negro), with a late Holocene chronology. It is a well preserved individual, of whom 25 elements were recovered, some with notable evidence of the actions of this agent. Given thecharacteristics and disposition of this secondary burial a preliminary interpretation of its formational history was advanced, suggesting that the carnivore modifications had occurred on the secondary burial when there was still fresh tissue present in it. Combining forensic models and taphonomic analyses of the type and location of carnivore damage, analternative interpretation is introduced here. We suggest that the secondary burial was created using the remnant bones of a corpse that had been previously modified by carnivore action. These results favor the knowledge of the diversity of mortuary practices on the coast of the San Matías Gulf, while contributing to the characterization of carnivore damage in the bioarchaeological record in coastal dune environments.

Keywords : Taphonomy of human remains; Carnivorous activity; Secondary burial; North Patagonian coast.

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