Browsing by Author "Santana Sagredo, Francisca"

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    A chronology for the earliest human burials at Cuchipuy, central Chile
    (2022) Becerra-Valdivia, Lorena; Eyquem, Andrea; Santana Sagredo, Francisca; Mendez, Cesar
    Cuchipuy is an archaeological site within the ancient Laguna de Tagua Tagua area (O'Higgins Region, central Chile; known for containing the remains of extinct fauna), with evidence for cultural activity spanning most of the Holocene, including over 50 human burials. The bulk of chronometric work at Cuchipuy was carried out in the 1980s, where a discrepancy within the radiocarbon dating results raised questions on the antiquity of the oldest funerary deposits (Stratum 4). Given the importance of both the site and area in prehistoric studies, this analysis aimed to reassess the chronology of Stratum 4 through the production of new radiocarbon dates on human remains and the application of Bayesian modelling. When combined with previously published ages, results place the commencement of Stratum 4 at 7320-7160 cal BP, within the early-mid Holocene. This is later than previous conclusions based on the discrepant dataset, refuting a temporal connection to Paleoindian deposits within the region. In addition, stable light isotope results suggest that human diet during the period was diverse, relying on both terrestrial and freshwater aquatic resources. This pattern changes with later populations, however, where the isotopic signal reflects the consumption of mainly terrestrial resources.
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    Pedernales-5: An enclave for flamingo (Phoenicopteridae) exploitation during the Early Holocene in the Chilean southern Puna (26°S-69°W)
    (SAGE Publications, 2024) López, Patricio; Loyola, Rodrigo; Carrasco, Carlos; Roa Solís, Constanza; Varas, Daniel; Santana Sagredo, Francisca; Méndez Muñoz, Víctor Andrés; Bravo, Gabriela; Latorre, Elvira; Sáez, Alina; Orrego, Vanessa; Sperling, Ariel
    We present the results of an interdisciplinary study conducted at the Pedernales-5 site, situated in the Salar de Pedernales basin (26°S; 3356 masl), dated from 10,510−10,749 to 11,201−11,612 cal. BP. Unlike other Late Pleistocene and Holocene sites in the Andean Puna, where vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna) were the primary prey, at Pedernales-5, the zooarcheological assemblage consists almost exclusively of flamingo (Phoenicopteridae) and bird remains. Through the analysis of lithic and bone artifacts, archeobotanical remains, pigment composition, and paleoenvironmental data, we propose that the emphasis on flamingo exploitation cannot be solely explained by alimentary consumption but also served cultural and symbolic purposes related to the acquisition of feathers, hides, and bones. The unique archeological context of Pedernales-5 offers a distinctive perspective on human dynamics in the Andean highlands during the Early Holocene.