Inferencias Paleodemográficas en El Noroeste De Patagonia a Partir Del Sitio Aquihuecó, Provincia Del Neuquén, Argentina

Abstract

En este trabajo se presenta la estructura sexo-etaria del sitio Aquihuecó y se discuten sus implicancias para la dinámica poblacional del noroeste de Patagonia argentina a comienzos del Holoceno Tardío. El sitio se encuentra emplazado en un médano sobre el Río Curí Leuvú (Prov. del Neuquén) y ha sido definido como un sitio de entierro con una cronología que abarca desde 4304±59 hasta 3650±70 años AP. Se estimó un número mínimo de individuos de 64, incluyendo elementos desarticulados y fragmentarios de superficie y se confeccionó una curva de edades de muerte en base a los 43 esqueletos hallados in situ. Los resultados indican la representación de ambos sexos y todas las categorías de edad, excepto el rango 15-19,9 años. La curva está caracterizada por un patrón bimodal con dos picos correspondientes a los rangos 0-4,9 años (20,92%) y 25-29,9 (11,63%). Se calculó la proporción juveniles/adultos y la mortalidad promedio en la niñez con el fin de caracterizar la dinámica poblacional. Ambos índices señalan que se trata de una muestra sesgada aunque en base a otras líneas (i.e. molecular, radiocarbónica, isotópica y zooarqueológica) se sugiere que podría corresponder a una población creciente. La curva se comparó con otras obtenidas para sitios de áreas vecinas. Si bien el patrón general es similar, no se encontraron correlaciones estadísticamente significativas.Palabras claves: Noroeste de Patagonia, Holoceno Tardío, paleodemografía, cazadores-recolectores, bioarqueología.In this paper we present the sex and age-at-death structure of the Aquihuecó archaeological burial site and discuss its implications for the population dynamics of northwestern Argentinian Patagonia at the beginning of the Late Holocene. The site is located on a sand-dune in the Curi Leuvú River valley (Neuquén Province) and has been defined as a burial site with a chronology that spans from 4304 ± 59 to 3650 ± 70 years BP. A minimum number of 64 individuals was estimated, including fragmentary bone remains spread on surface, and a mortality curve was built based on 43 skeletons in situ. Both sexes and all age categories, except the range 15-19.9 years, are represented in the sample. The mortality curve is characterized by a bimodal pattern with two peaks corresponding to the ranges 0-4.9 years (20.92%) and 25-29.9 (11.63%). The Juvenile/Adult Ratio and the Mean Childhood Mortality were calculated in order to characterize the population dynamics. Although both indices indicate a biased sample, other evidences (i.e. molecular, radiocarbon, isotopic and zooarchaeological) suggest it is growing population. The mortality curve was compared with those obtained for sites located in neighboring areas. The pattern is similar, but no statistically significant correlations were found.

Estructura espacial y dinámica temporal de la ocupación humana de Neuquén (Patagonia argentina) durante el Pleistoceno final-Holoceno

“…7500 años cal. AP, pero el incremento marcado se habría dado después del 4000-5000 AP (Perez et al 2016a;Gordón et al 2019).…”

Scale of human mobility in northwestern Patagonia: An approach based on regional geology and strontium isotopes in human remains

“…Both are located in high areas of the landscape and have an unusually elevated number of buried individuals (minimum number of individuals [MNI] = 64; MNI = 12, respectively). Likewise, they share cultural characteristics such as the artificial cranial deformation type (i.e., circular) and the presence of grinding stones, shell beads, projectile points, cutting sharp instruments, and lithic spheres (Della Negra et al, 2014; Gordón, Béguelin, Novellino, et al, 2019). The Cochico‐Márquez site is dated to ~2500 years BP and was rescued as a product of the use of backhoe loaders.…”

“…A radiocarbon date of ~1150 years BP was obtained. In addition to human remains, a lip‐plug or tembetá and faunal remains were found (Gordón, Béguelin, Novellino, et al, 2019; Vázquez, 2020). Loma de La Lata site, from which the Añelo C1.4 individual comes, is located chronologically between 600 and 740 years BP.…”

“…In addition, indigenous elements were found, such as ceramic vessels and lithic instruments. In one of the sites, Chacra Álvarez, a characteristic precontact burial type for Pampa and northern Patagonia was described, involving the use of red pigment and leather wraps (Bernal et al, 2017; Gordón, Béguelin, Novellino, et al, 2019; Navarro, 2016; Vázquez, 2020).…”

“…The bioarchaeological record from northwestern Patagonia is characterized by its temporal depth, by the early formation of formal burial areas, as exemplified by the Aquihuecó site dated between ca. 4300 and 3650 years BP (Della Negra & Novellino, 2005; Gordón, Béguelin, Novellino, et al, 2019), and by an increasing rate of deposition of human remains during the last ca. 2000 years (Bernal et al, 2017).…”