Longitudinal Taphonomic Studies of Mammal Carcasses from the Rio Salado Valley, Mendoza, Argentina

Abstract

Taphonomic studies aid in understanding the transition of organic matter from living contexts (the biosphere) to geological contexts (the lithosphere), and how agents and processes affect skeletal remains in the archaeological record. Archaeological research in the Atuel River valley, Mendoza, Argentina, has been carried out for several years. However, actualistic approaches to examine local and regional taphonomic processes have only been recently developed in this area. Longitudinal studies of disarticulation and dispersion of bones from carcasses are presented here in order to understand how skeletal materials are naturally added to, subtracted from, and mixed within the archaeological record. In this paper we explore variability in the influence of taphonomic processes in different microhabitats of the valley and how these mechanisms impact the potential of mixing during bone deposition in the archaeological record. There are some qualitative differences between carcasses deposited in different landforms, showing that each place has its own taphonomic history, principally influenced by the geomorphic and ecologic processes that operate in different landforms.

Gravity and the formation of the archaeological record: Main concepts and methodological tools

“…Similarly, in the case of the Cerro Sin Nombre Site described above, histograms of the size range of archaeological artifacts were made to analyze natural biases. Finally, shelters and vegetation are strong animal attractors so that trampling, kicking, and fractures may be expected on slopes associated with them (see also Borrero, 1990Borrero, , 2001Borrero, , 2003Borrero, , 2007Balirán, 2014;Bertran et al, 2015;Fiorillo, 1988 consequence of scavenging was also recorded in longitudinal studies carried out in Mendoza, Argentina (Otaola & Tripaldi, 2016), and in the cold semiarid steppe of Tierra del Fuego (Martin, 2006;Massone et al, 1993; Fig. 1d).…”

“…Finally, shelters and vegetation are strong animal attractors so that trampling, kicking, and fractures may be expected on slopes associated with them (see also Borrero, , , , ; Balirán, ; Bertran et al., ; Fiorillo, ; Gifford‐Gonzalez, Damrosch, Damrosch, Pryor, & Thunen, ; Lenoble & Bertran, ; Martin, ; Nielsen, ; Olsen & Shipman, ; Oría et al., , Oría, Salemme, & Vázquez, ; Otaola, ; Otaola & Tripaldi, ). Rapid and significant displacement of bone fragments as a consequence of scavenging was also recorded in longitudinal studies carried out in Mendoza, Argentina (Otaola & Tripaldi, ), and in the cold semiarid steppe of Tierra del Fuego (Martin, ; Massone et al., ; Fig. 1d).…”

“…As was mentioned, even along slopes the soil biomechanical action may contribute to rapid particle burial (e.g., Canti, ), so this is not a guarantee of spatial stability and preservation once within the soil matrix. Relative substrate hardness and animal trampling may accelerate sinking processes (e.g., Borrero, ; Nielsen, ; Otaola & Tripaldi, ). In contrast, in environments that lack soil development, more mixing and subaerial weathering could be expected, depending on the slope angle and biotic factors.…”

Tafonomía actualística en el Parque Nacional Bosques Petrificados de Jaramillo, Santa Cruz

“…Existen numerosos trabajos en las regiones de Pampa y Patagonia que han avanzado en aspectos similares y escalas espaciales amplias (i.e. Alunni et al, 2021;Borella, 2004;Borella y Muñoz, 2006;Borrero, 2000Borrero, , 2007Borrero y Martin, 1996;Cruz, 2003;2009;Cruz et al, 2000;Gutiérrez et al, 2017;Massigoge et al, 2015;Otaola y Tripaldi, 2016, entre otros), sin embargo, aquellos enfocados en mesetas volcánicas o ambientes de bloques montañosos continentales, como el Macizo del Deseado, son más reducidos (i.e. Belardi y Carballo Marina, 2003;Belardi et al, 2007;Cruz, 2007).…”

Taphonomic information from the modern vertebrate death assemblage of Doñana National Park, Spain

“…Since these initial efforts, additional vertebrate bone surveys have been conducted. Most of them have been carried out in regions with tropical or temperate climatic regimes, and mainly are located in Africa and the New World [e.g., 5,8,[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26].…”