Zooarchaeological studies at Laguna del Negro 1 (Gualeguay department, Argentina), a stratigraphic context from the inland plains of Entre Ríos

Abstract

The virtual absence of zooarchaeological data from the extensive inland plains of Entre Ríos, northeastern Argentina, can be explained by the scarcity of archaeological investigations and the lack of stratigraphic contexts available for study. Recently, the detection and excavation of Laguna del Negro 1, a late Holocene site with evidence of multiple activities, allowed us to study a stratigraphic sample of bone and malacological specimens. Here we present the taxonomic, anatomic and taphonomic analysis of Laguna del Negro 1 zooarchaeological assemblage. Our goals are to estimate the diversity of faunal resources exploited, to explore processing practices and to evaluate the taphonomic processes involved in the formation of the bone assemblage. We propose that medium sized cervids were the main resources consumed at the site. Nevertheless, a great diversity of species that include rodents (cuis, coipo and capybara), armadillos, carnivores, lizards, rheids, fishes and mollusks, were also exploited. The integration of these data with information available at microregional level allowed us to present a model for faunal resource exploitation in which taxa from diverse microenvironments of the alluvial plains and the high plains were used.

Keywords
Laguna del Negro 1; Gualeguay River; Inland plains; Hunter-gatherers; Zooarchaeology