Cristian A. Kaufmann

El poblamiento temprano de las llanuras pampeanas de Argentina y Uruguay

Based on available information, the early peopling (c. 12,300 to 8,000 BP) of the Pampean plains of Argentina and Uruguay is summarized and discussed within the broader context of the human population of the continent. The evidence presented here indicates that humans initially occupied the plains around 12,300 BP. Data obtained in recent decades within the framework of a regional research project do not support a model of late entry into the continent (known as the “Clovis First” model); neither do they support an extremely early human occupation of the region (i.e. tens of thousands of years). The information obtained indicates that Late Pleistocene hunter-gatherer bands had high residential mobility, exploited a variety of environments, and used both local and exotic raw materials. These foragers based part of their diet on the generalized consumption of land mammals, among which some extinct megamammals, such as American horse and giant ground sloth, could have been key resources. These bands shared with other contemporary groups of the Southern Cone a particular projectile point model, known as “fishtail” projectile point, which was dominant in the technology of the region between ca. 11,000 and 10,000 BP.

Análisis Comparativo de los Patrones de Modificaciones Óseas de Dos Carnívoros Sudamericanos: El Gato Montés (Leopardus Geoffroyi) y el Zorro Pampeano (Lycalopex Gymnocercus). Aportes para la Identificación de la Acción de Pequeños Carnívoros en el Registro Arqueológico

RESUMENEl objetivo de este trabajo es caracterizar y comparar los patrones de modificaciones oseas producidos por dos carnivoros autoctonos de Sudamerica, el zorro pampeano y el gato montes, sobre partes esqueletarias de pequenos vertebrados. Para esto se realizo una experiencia en un parque zoologico local, ofreciendo 10 conejos en forma controlada, a cada uno de los predadores mencionados. En esta oportunidad se presentan los resultados de los restos no ingeridos, para los cuales se analizo la representacion anatomica y los patrones de fractura. Los resultados indican que tanto el gato montes como el zorro pampeano generan una destruccion osea significativa en los restos de conejo, lo cual impacta directamente en la representacion de los individuos. Los elementos con mayor supervivencia fueron los huesos largos, la pelvis, el craneo y la mandibula. Por otra parte, la densidad osea resulto ser uno de los factores que condiciono la destruccion diferencial de los elementos. Si bien nuestros resultados no permiten diferenciar las modificaciones generadas por estas dos especies de carnivoros, los patrones observados aportan nuevos datos que ayudan a distinguir estos conjuntos de aquellos originados por otros predadores como por ejemplo, aves rapaces diurnas y nocturnas. PALABRAS CLAVE: tafonomia experimental, gato montes, zorro pampeano, pequenos vertebrados, modificaciones oseas.COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BONE MODIFICATION PATTERNS PRODUCED BY TWO SOUTH AMERICAN CARNIVORES: THE GEOFFROY’S CAT (

Estudio comparativo de las marcas de dientes producidas por dos pequeños carnívoros sudamericanos

En este trabajo se presentan los primeros resultados de un estudio experimental realizado con zorro pampeano (Lycalopex gymnocercus) y gato montes (Leopardus geoffroyi) con el fin de caracterizar el patron de marcas de dientes generado por cada carnivoro sobre restos oseos no ingeridos de un mamifero pequeno y evaluar si existen diferencias en estos patrones. Este estudio indico que ambos carnivoros generan los mismos tipos de modificaciones y en proporciones similares; no obstante, el numero promedio de marcas por especimen es mas del doble en el caso del zorro. Sobre la base de los resultados preliminares obtenidos se propone que el tamano de los hoyuelos no parece ser un criterio diagnostico determinante para distinguir la accion de estos dos predadores.

Bone pathologies in a modern collection of guanaco (Lama guanicoe): Contributions to the interpretation of bone lesions in archeological contexts

Research on animal paleopathology has significantly grown in the field of zooarchaeology during the last years. Usually bone lesions have been associated to specific activities carried out by animals. However, the etiology and prevalence of many bone abnormalities are still uncertain due to the scarcity of studies in modern reference collections. The aim of this study is to determine the postcranial skeletal lesions that characterize a population of wild camelids and to differentiate bone lesions related to human management of camelids. For this purpose, we analyze the health status of a modern collection of guanaco by recording a series of indicators and its manifestation in different anatomical units. The osteological sample comprises 54 guanacos from Cinco Chañares, San Antonio department, Rio Negro province, Argentina. The frequency of lesions by anatomical unit, sex, and age were studied in order to generate parameters for comparison with other samples of contemporary camelids and with zooarchaeological record. The analyzed sample is characterized by infectious, traumatic, degenerative and congenital abnormalities in low prevalence. The most common pathologies were degenerative origin. These were significantly more frequent among senile adults, and were differentiated of the ones registered among domestic camelids.

Taphonomy of modern communal burrow systems of the Plains vizcacha (Lagostomus maximus, Chinchillidae) in the Pampas region of Argentina: implications for the fossil record

Abstract The Plains vizcacha (Lagostomus maximus) is one of the largest rodents in South America. They live in communal burrow systems (vizcacheras) shaped by complex subterranean galleries which produce a strong impact on the local landscape. This paper presents the results of an actualistic study conducted with abandoned vizcacheras from the Pampas region of Argentina. The main objective is to evaluate the role of this rodent in the formation of the fossil record. Results indicate that the Plains vizcacha is responsible for the mixing, accumulation, and transport of materials; such as sticks, caliche, dung, feces, and abundant bone remains. Their burrowing activity and the accumulating habits, modifies the landscape, creating environments conducive to the buildup of objects and the reuse by different animals. These characteristics result in very complex associations of materials of different origins; making this rodent an important taphonomic agent with the potential to significantly impact the fossil record.