8/6/2019 Garcia 2008. Human Occupations in the Lake Calafquen Temperate Rain Forest (39S), Chile, during the Pleistocen

1/3

Human Occupations in the Lake CalafquenTemperate Rain Forest (39S), Chile, during the

Pleistocene-Holocene TransitionChristian Garca P.

With the exception of the archaeological site of Monte Verde, dated to12,500RCYBP (Dillehay and Pino 1997), initial occupations in the south of Chile havenot been recognized, a situation which has led to a chrono-cultural gapbetween these and mid-Holocene occupations in the Pacific coast zone(Navarro and Pino 1999) and central valley (Navarro and Pino 1984). Never-

theless, research carried out between 1999 and 2001 in the Lake Calafquenarea (Valdivia Province, X Region) has changed this scenario through thediscovery of numerous occupations in rockshelters in the northeastern area ofthe lake, contributing to the understanding of early hunter-gatherer settle-ment in the Andean zone of south Chile.

Particularly important are the findings at Marifilo-1 rockshelter(39 30 48 S), located in an environment dominated by temperate rainforest, active volcanoes, and great lakes. In this site, the research team re-

vealed a long occupation sequence beginning in the late Pleistocene and

ending ca. 500 RCYBP (Mera and Garca 2004).From this sequence we highlight two occupations dated during the Pleis-

tocene-Holocene transition and the early Holocene, which are part of the

Christian Garca P., Area de Arqueologa, Facultad de Estudios del Patrimonio Cultural,Universidad Internacional SEK, Campus Parque Arrieta, Av. Jos Arrieta 10000, Penalolen,Santiago, Chile; e-mail: cuvieronius@gmail.com

32 BUENO Archaeology: Latin America

8/6/2019 Garcia 2008. Human Occupations in the Lake Calafquen Temperate Rain Forest (39S), Chile, during the Pleistocen

2/3

early cultural component of this site. The earliest one, dated 10,190 120RCYBP (Beta-164475), would have existed at the time of rapid expansion of thethermophilous component of the Valdivian rain forest (Prumnopitis andinaand Nothofagus dombeyi type), under paleoenvironmental conditions of in-

creasing temperature and decreasing precipitation (Heusser 1984), after agreat eruption of the Mocho-Choshuenco volcanic system, evidenced byplinian pumice stone present in local stratigraphy. This first occupation ischaracterized by the presence of a small fireplace next to the wall of therockshelter, with which are associated 15 unmodified basalt flakes (Jacksonand Garca 2006), bones ofPudu puduand Pseudalopex griseuswith intentionalfractures and combustion marks, burnt Diplodon chilensisvalves, and plantremains. After this occupation, the rockshelter would have been sporadically

visited by carnivores, possibly by Felis concolor, signified by the presence of

coprolites and bones ofPudu puduwith digestive acid corrosion marks.Separated from the former occupation both spatially and stratigraphically isthe second occupation of the rockshelter, dated to 8420 40 RCYBP (Beta-138919), a period in which paleoenvironmental conditions were warmer anddryer, and Gramineae predominated (Heusser 1984). The evidence includes 18unmodified basalt flakes, an ovoid pebble stone with use marks on one surfacesuggesting milling activities or its use as a polishing tool (Jackson and Garca2006), bone remains ofPudu puduwith combustion marks, a bone artifact ofunknown use made on a fragment of a Pudu pudufemur (Garca 2006), and

burntDiplodon chilensisvalves and plant remains associated with a hearth.This occupational evidence of similar features reflects the exploitation ofthis lake and surroundings by hunter-gatherers who made use of naturalshelters during their incursions in the area since the late Pleistocene. Theseoccupations reveal the practice of expedient technology, as evidenced bylithic (Jackson and Garca 2006) and bone instruments (Garca 2006), aconsequence of immediately available raw materials that required minimumenergy to produce. Economic utility of vegetal species and freshwater molluscsfrom Lake Calafquen was also important, as were small mammals, probably

captured with traps (Velsquez and Adn 2002). The absence of extinctmammal remains and formed flaked tools in Marifilo-1 reflects differencesfrom the Monte Verde site and thereby expands our knowledge of the diver-sity of early human adaptations in the temperate rain forests of South

America.

This research was financed by Proyecto Fondecyt 1060216.

References Cited

Dillehay, T., and M. Pino 1997 Radiocarbon Chronology. In Monte Verde: A Late PleistoceneSettlement in Chile. The Archaeological Context, edited by T. Dillehay, pp. 4152. Smithsonian InstitutionPress, Washington, DC.

Garca, C. 2006 Los Artefactos seos de Marifilo 1. Una Aproximacin a la Tecnologa seaentre los Cazadores Recolectores de la Selva Valdiviana. Werken(8):91100.

Heusser, C. 1984 Late-Glacial-Holocene Climate of the Lake District of Chile. Quaternary Re-search22:7790.

CRP 25, 2008 GARCAP. 33

8/6/2019 Garcia 2008. Human Occupations in the Lake Calafquen Temperate Rain Forest (39S), Chile, during the Pleistocen

3/3

Jackson, D., and C. Garca 2006 Los Instrumentos Lticos de las Ocupaciones Tempranas deMarifilo 1. Boletn de la Sociedad Chilena de Arqueologa(38):7178.

Mera, R., and C. Garca 2004 Alero Marifilo-1. Ocupacin Holoceno Temprana en la Costa delLago Calafqun (X Regin, Chile). In Contra Viento y Marea. Arqueologa de la Patagonia, edited by M.Civalero, P. Fernndez and A. Gurieb, pp. 24962. Instituto Nacional de Antropologa y

Pensamiento Latinoamericano, Sociedad Argentina de Antropologa, Buenos Aires.Navarro, X., and M. Pino 1984 Interpretacin de una Ocupacin Humana Precermica en el

rea Mapuche a Travs de Estudios Lticos. Boletn del Museo Regional de La Araucana(1):7181.

1999 Estrategias Adaptativas en Ambientes Costeros del Bosque Templado Lluvioso de laZona Mapuche. Una Reflexin desde el Precermico. In Soplando en el Viento. Actas de las III Jornadasde Arqueologa de la Patagonia, edited by J. Belardi, P. Fernndez, R. Goi, A. Gurieb and M. DeNigris, pp. 6582. Instituto Nacional de Antropologa y Pensamiento Latinoamericano, Buenos

Aires.

Velsquez, H., and L. Adn 2002 Evidencias Arqueofaunsticas del Sitio Alero Marifilo 1.Adaptacin a los Bosques Templados de los Sistemas Lacustres Cordilleranos del Centro Sur de

Chile. Boletn de la Sociedad Chilena de Arqueologa(33-34):2735.

34 GARCAP. Archaeology: Latin America