Astolfo Gomes de Mello Araujo

LAGOA SANTA REVISITED: AN OVERVIEW OF THE CHRONOLOGY, SUBSISTENCE, AND MATERIAL CULTURE OF PALEOINDIAN SITES IN EASTERN CENTRAL BRAZIL

Lagoa Santa, a karstic area in eastern Central Brazil, has been subject to research on human paleontology and archaeol ogy for 175 years. Almost 300 Paleoindian human skeletons have been found since Danish naturalist Peter Lund’s pio neering work. Even so, some critical issues such as the role of rockshelters in settlement systems, and the possible paleoclimatic implications of the peopling of the region have yet to be addressed. We present some results obtained from recent excava tions at four rockshelters and two open-air sites, new dates for human Paleoindian skeletons, and a model to explain the cultural patterns observed so far. It is also argued that the Paleoindian subsistence system at Lagoa Santa was similar to other locations in South America: generalized small-game hunting complemented by fruits, seed, and root gathering. Lagoa Santa, un area karstica en Brasil Central, ha sido objeto de investigacion en paleontologia humana y arqueologia durante 170 anos. Casi 300 esqueletos humanos paleoindios se han encontrado desde que el naturalista dinamarques Peter Lund empezo su trabajo pionero en la mitad del siglo XIX. Sin embargo, problemas criticos como el papel de las cuevas en los patrones de asentamiento y las posibles implicaciones paleoclimaticas en el poblamiento del area todavia tienen que ser mejor estudiados. Nosotros presentamos los resultados obtenidos de las recientes excavaciones de cuatro cuevas y dos yacimien tos a cielo abierto, nuevas feches de esqueletos humanos paleoindios, y un modelo para explicar los patrones culturales obser vados. Tambien propone mas que el sistema de subsistencia paleoindio en Lagoa Santa fue, asi como en otros sitios de Sudamerica, bastante generalizado, incluyendo la caza de pequenos animales y la recoleccion de frutos, semillas y raices.

The Oldest Case of Decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil)

We present here evidence for an early Holocene case of decapitation in the New World (Burial 26), found in the rock shelter of Lapa do Santo in 2007. Lapa do Santo is an archaeological site located in the Lagoa Santa karst in east-central Brazil with evidence of human occupation dating as far back as 11.7–12.7 cal kyBP (95.4% interval). An ultra-filtered AMS age determination on a fragment of the sphenoid provided an age range of 9.1–9.4 cal kyBP (95.4% interval) for Burial 26. The interment was composed of an articulated cranium, mandible and first six cervical vertebrae. Cut marks with a v-shaped profile were observed in the mandible and sixth cervical vertebra. The right hand was amputated and laid over the left side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the chin and the left hand was amputated and laid over the right side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the forehead. Strontium analysis comparing Burial 26’s isotopic signature to other specimens from Lapa do Santo suggests this was a local member of the group. Therefore, we suggest a ritualized decapitation instead of trophy-taking, testifying for the sophistication of mortuary rituals among hunter-gatherers in the Americas during the early Archaic period. In the apparent absence of wealth goods or elaborated architecture, Lapa do Santo’s inhabitants seemed to use the human body to express their cosmological principles regarding death.

Rock Art at the Pleistocene/Holocene Boundary in Eastern South America

Background Most investigations regarding the First Americans have primarily focused on four themes: when the New World was settled by humans; where they came from; how many migrations or colonization pulses from elsewhere were involved in the process; and what kinds of subsistence patterns and material culture they developed during the first millennia of colonization. Little is known, however, about the symbolic world of the first humans who settled the New World, because artistic manifestations either as rock-art, ornaments, and portable art objects dated to the Pleistocene/Holocene transition are exceedingly rare in the Americas. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we report a pecked anthropomorphic figure engraved in the bedrock of Lapa do Santo, an archaeological site located in Central Brazil. The horizontal projection of the radiocarbon ages obtained at the north profile suggests a minimum age of 9,370±40 BP, (cal BP 10,700 to 10,500) for the petroglyph that is further supported by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates from sediment in the same stratigraphic unit, located between two ages from 11.7±0.8 ka BP to 9.9±0.7 ka BP. Conclusions These data allow us to suggest that the anthropomorphic figure is the oldest reliably dated figurative petroglyph ever found in the New World, indicating that cultural variability during the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary in South America was not restricted to stone tools and subsistence, but also encompassed the symbolic dimension.

Early Holocene ritual complexity in South America: the archaeological record of Lapa do Santo (east-central Brazil)

Abstract Early Archaic human skeletal remains found in a burial context in Lapa do Santo in east-central Brazil provide a rare glimpse into the lives of hunter-gatherer communities in South America, including their rituals for dealing with the dead. These included the reduction of the body by means of mutilation, defleshing, tooth removal, exposure to fire and possibly cannibalism, followed by the secondary burial of the remains according to strict rules. In a later period, pits were filled with disarticulated bones of a single individual without signs of body manipulation, demonstrating that the region was inhabited by dynamic groups in constant transformation over a period of centuries.

Contributions to the Dart versus Arrow Debate: New Data from Holocene Projectile Points from Southeastern and Southern Brazil

Lithic bifacial points are very common in the southern and southeastern regions of the Brazilian territory. Dated from Early to Late Holocene, these artifacts have not been studied in terms of their propulsion system. Given the characteristics of the bow and arrow compared to the atlatl and dart, there are important differences in the size and weight of arrowheads and dart points. Applying the techniques proposed by Shott (1997), Bradbury (1997), Fenenga (1953), Hughes (1998), and Hildebrandt and King (2012) to specimens recovered from eight sites dating from the early to the late Holocene, this work aims to present preliminary results to better understand the potential presence of darts and arrows in southeastern and southern Brazil. There was a variation in the results according to the application of different techniques. At least one set of points, dated from the Early Holocene, presented quite a high proportion of specimens classified as arrows, indicating the presence of points that could be used as arrowheads.

Extreme cultural persistence in eastern-central Brazil: the case of Lagoa Santa Paleaeoindians

Lapa do Santo rockshelter, a Paleoindian site located in Eastern-Central Brazil, presented two main occupations; one during Early Holocene (12,460 to 8700 cal BP), and a latter in Middle Holocene (5100 to 4200 cal BP). In spite of this 3600 year gap, the stratigraphy and general characteristics of the material culture did not indicate any visible discontinuity. This led us to hypothesise a reoccupation of the rockshelter by the same cultural group, tested by means of statistical analyses comparing lithics, bone artifacts, and faunal remains from early and middle Holocene layers. No significant differences were found, and our results indicate the presence of a cultural tradition that persisted for 8240 years, or roughly 412 generations.

Towards the Development of a Tropical Geoarchaeology: Lagoa Santa as an Emblematic Case Study

Geoarchaeology in tropical environments has specificities that place it within a context of differential analysis. High temperature and humidity variation, the strong role played by bioturbation, the presence of deep soil profiles, and the expressive chemical alteration of the materials are some of the features of these environments. In the Lagoa Santa region, several important geoarchaeological discussions during the Origins project have approached issues related to the tropical environments, highlighting: (1) the formation processes inside rockshelters, (2) the investigation of a major event of abandonment of the region by human groups during the Middle Holocene (the “Archaic gap”), (3) the processes of formation of open-air sites, and (4) the question of the possible coexistence between humans and extinct megafauna. Including the work of researchers from different areas of knowledge, the studies generated a great richness of data and extensive discussion, which culminated in fundamental publications for the development of geoarchaeology in tropical environments.

Microliths and Polished Stone Tools during the Pleistocene-Holocene Transition and Early Holocene in South America: The Lagoa Santa Lithic Industry

ABSTRACT The Lagoa Santa region, located in southeastern Brazil, has been studied archaeologically since the nineteenth century. Paleoindian lithic industries in Brazil have often been associated with archaeological cultures known as the Itaparica Tradition (central and northeastern Brazil) and the Umbu Tradition (southeastern and southern Brazil, Uruguay and surrounding areas of other countries). However, research at Lagoa Santa never pointed to any cultural similarities between its lithic industry and Itaparica or Umbu. Instead, the Lagoa Santa region seems to present a local lithic industry that has been formally referred to as the Lagoa Santa Tradition, which is part of the Lagoa Santa archaeological culture. This article discusses data from previous and new lithic studies at sites from Lagoa Santa dated between 13,000 and 8000 cal yr BP.

User experience evaluation with archaeometry interactive tools in Virtual Reality environment

In this work we present a study about usability experience of users in a cyber-archeological environment. We researched how they explore a realistic 3D environment in Virtual Reality (VR) through archaeometry conventional techniques. Our objective is to evaluate users experiences with interactive archaeometry tools with archaeologist (not a VR expert) and compare results with VR experts (not an archeology expert). Two hypothesis will be tested: a) its possible to simulate the virtual world realistically as the real one?; b) if this VR model is passive of exploration, is it possible to create 3DUI analytical tools to help archaeologist to manipulate archaeometry tools? To explore these hypotheses we conducted experimental tests with ten users and the results are promising.

ArcheoVR: Exploring Itapeva's archeological site

This demo presents a fully immersive and interactive virtual environment (VE) — the ArcheoVR, which represents Itapeva Rocky Shelter, a prehistoric archeological site in Brazil. W workflow started with a real world data capture — laser scanners, drones and photogrammetry. Captured information was transformed into a carefully designed realistic 3D scene and interactive features that allows users to experience the virtual archeological site in real-time. The main objective of this VR model is to allow the general public to feel and explore an otherwise restricted and ephemeral site and to assess prototype tools intended for future digital archaeological exploration.