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Bioarchaeological research of bone growth patterns provides information on the health status and disease of past populations. Recent studies have pointed out the potential of metric analysis of nonadult vertebrae as indicators of stress during different stages of ontogeny, highlighting that most vertebral measurements present low sexual dimorphism, a stable and known pattern of growth and give useful information even in incomplete spines. The aims of this paper are first, to construct a vertebral growth profile for nonadults of a skeletal series of Patagonian Late Holocene hunter‐gatherers from Salitroso Lake (SAC); second, to compare it to the ones obtained in other archaeological and modern populations with different stress experiences; and third, building on this, to assess whether individuals with evidence of stress experienced in early development demonstrate different patterns in vertebral growth than those without. Two spinal dimensions are used: vertebral body height (VBH) and transverse diameter of the neural canal (TDNC) in a sample of 23 nonadult skeletons with ages previously estimated from dental and bone indicators. The vertebral dimensions of 20 adults between 18 and 35 years of age were also measured as reference information. Results show that the growth of the VBH is steady over the years and reaches adulthood size by approximately 16 years of age whereas TDNC dimensions do not experience marked fluctuations in size throughout life and adult dimensions are reached at approximately 4 years of age as expected. The vertebral growth pattern observed in SAC is similar to that obtained in other archaeological samples from very different settings but experiencing relatively high nutritional or pathological stress in early stages of life. However, it is markedly different, and systematically smaller, to the 20th century sample pattern, probably responding to a secular trend in the modern population with a more stable access to resources and medical treatment. Finally, SAC individuals with systemic stress markers do not tend to exhibit smaller vertebral dimensions than those without them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the implications of the conformation of formal burial areas in the southernmost limit of agricultural dispersion in South America. Previous research proposed the development of cemeteries or formal burial areas due to specialization in using specific habitats and the development of territorial ownership. From a paleoecological background, we hypothesize that hunter‐gatherers intensified resource exploitation and develop territoriality in population growth and pressure over resources. The expectation is that formal burial areas emerged in this context to legitimize the ties with the territory and ensure exclusive access to the land and its resources. To evaluate this hypothesis, we analyzed a mortuary context from southern Mendoza (Central Western Argentina), named Ojo de Agua, by describing the site's characteristics, burial modality, presence of grave goods, age at death profile, and evidence of violence. This site has two main conditions for handling our hypothesis: (1) the chronology and spatial localization coincide with the temporal and geographic dispersion of pre‐Hispanic cultigens; (2) systematic procedures during fieldwork led us to access a significant amount of information not available in other mortuary contexts of the area. Our results point to Ojo de Agua as a cemetery that emerged in the frame of increasing territoriality and conflict with neighboring groups and permitted us to improve our knowledge about the dynamic relationship between human population, environment, and cultural responses in the context of intensification and contact with food production. These results deepen recent studies in the same line but with a greater resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous researches have examined the zooarchaeological record to understand changes in human diet in central western Argentina through time. This research has focused on variations in the relative abundance of large prey in archaeofaunal contexts. The observed changes were explained by a decrease in residentialmobility, forced by both the intensification in the use of resources and the introduction of the first domesticated plants ca. 2000 years BP. In this paper, we revised archaeofaunal interpretations by taking into account zooarchaeological assemblages and human isotope records within the biogeographical distributions of prey in the region. Our results demonstrate that faunal diversity in zooarchaeological assemblages has a stronger correlation with the natural distribution of resources (especially with altitude) than with chronology, as was proposed previously. However, archaeofaunal information, including human isotopic data, suggests that a decrease in residential mobility, postulated in a previous paper, took place, modifying the expected diversity distribution throughout the landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the taphonomic analysis of the micromammal bone remains recovered from Nutria Mansa 1 (NM1), an archaeological site located in the Pampean plains, Argentina. This campsite was occupied by hunter‐gatherers that processed and consumed Lama guanicoe during the Late Holocene. In NM1, there are taxa from different environments: mammals from arid and semiarid environments (Patagonic Phytogeographic Province) and humid and temperate environments (Pampean Phytogeographic Province). The main objective of the present study was to evaluate how the recorded small mammal species were incorporated into the archaeological site and which of them were exploited by humans. The micromammal assemblage shows traces of post mortem agents such as weathering, chemical action of sediments, and probably some evidence of predation. The micromammal bones in the archaeological record offer no clear evidence of human modification, and their presence can be the result of predation or other postdepositional agents such as the action of water on the flood plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Recent research into prehistoric subsistence among the sea nomad societies of the Beagle Channel region of southern South America have shown that there were temporal changes in the utilization of animal resources between the Middle and the Late Holocene. A relative increase in the utilization of fish and birds has been noted in the Late Holocene, together with changes in the selection of bird and fish taxa. The most important change was the appearance of sites in high topographic locations where special activities were recorded that were related to the intensive exploitation of Phalacrocoracidae and the increase in the utilization of Procellariiformes. In this paper, we examine the characteristics of these later assemblages in order to explore possible explanations for the changes in the use of birds. The cut marks on the bones were distinguished in order to differentiate the activities involved. The results indicate that in the Late Holocene there was no differential pattern of cormorant butchering between those sites where special tasks took place and general activity sites. It was also shown that the increase in Procellariiformes was linked mainly to subsistence rather than technological factors. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to provide information on the analysis of stable isotopes obtained from bones of marine and terrestrial fauna used as potential food by hunter‐gatherers on the northern coast of Santa Cruz province (Argentine Patagonia). The results from the isotopic ecology are analysed to contribute to dietary interpretations of the human populations who lived in this area. The mean of terrestrial resources is −19.1‰ ± 1.8‰ and 9.2‰ ± 2.6‰ for δ13C and δ15N, respectively. Meanwhile, marine resources recorded a mean of δ13C −12.5‰ ± 1.2‰ and δ15N of 19.4‰ ± 2.4‰. The analysed human samples come from different types of burials dated mainly in the Late Holocene. The δ13C and δ15N isotopic values on human remains suggest the existence of different diets during the Late Holocene, including people who consumed mainly marine, terrestrial, and mixed proteins, with a range between −18‰ to −10.4‰ and 12.4‰ to 23.4‰ for δ13C and δ15N, respectively. Some of these isotopic values, which indicate marine diets, are the highest recorded for Patagonia. The influence of the marine spray on the terrestrial trophic chains is suggested for the Patagonian Atlantic coast, evidenced by higher values in the δ15N of guanacos from the coast in relation to others studied from the hinterland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The archaeological record of the Late Prehispanic Period of Sierras of Córdoba, Argentina (~1220–330 cal BP) has revealed a rich and highly developed bone industry. The worked bones are purported to include various types of hunting or warfare weapons such as arrowheads, knives and daggers, or bleeders. However, most of the latter two tools can now be interpreted as spear or spear‐thrower dart heads based on ethnographic and macro‐wear studies. Thus, the aim of this article is to present the techno‐typological and functional analysis carried out on the bone spearheads collected at the San Roque archaeological locality (Villa Carlos Paz, Argentina). Spearheads are defined as massive and strong pointed tools that are suitable for hafting to a shaft about 15 mm or more in diameter, which corresponds to ethnographic spears or darts. The tools were assigned to the Late Prehispanic Period based on their similarity with those recovered in neighboring sites and regions during the last 1,500 years. The study supports the contention that Late Prehispanic people developed a variable and highly sophisticated set of weapons suitable for taking any animal resource when encountered, minimizing the cost of failure in the capture of the prey they depended on. However, warfare and the use of spears in raids against other groups need to be taken into account because evidence of physical interpersonal violence increases in the Late Prehispanic Period. Finally, it is proposed that museum collections can provide valuable data for archaeologists, mostly when artifacts with low frequency in modern excavations are the focus of the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work is to evaluate temporal variation of dento‐alveolar lesions in hunter‐gatherer groups who inhabited the middle course of the Negro River during the late Holocene (ca. 3000‐750 years BP) in order to discuss cultural practices and changes in the paleodiet. Caries, dental calculus, periodontal disease, periapical lesions, antemortem tooth loss, tooth wear, dislocation, and osteoarthrosic lesions in the temporomandibular joint were analysed. The sample is represented by 567 teeth and 547 alveoli, corresponding to 32 adult and subadult individuals, who were divided into two periods for comparative purposes: pre‐1000 and post‐1000 BP. The results indicate a low prevalence of oral lesions without differences between sex and age. In the pre‐1000 BP period, there is a larger frequency of antemortem tooth loss, parafunctional wear of the anterior teeth, dental dislocations, and osteoarthrosis in the mandibular condyles compared with the post‐1000 period. This tendency indicates that the individuals would have been exposed to greater stress in chewing. However, the variations were not significant, so there is no clear evidence of changes in the diet and particularly in carbohydrate and plant intake through the late Holocene. Severe tooth wear is the main factor that caused some pathologies (e.g., antemortem tooth loss), and limited the development of others (e.g., caries). The results obtained here agree with other microregions from northeastern Patagonia and differ from Humid Pampas, eastern Pampa‐Patagonian transition, and lower course of the Negro River due to differences in carbohydrate consumption in the last ca. 1000 years BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Late Holocene, important changes can be identified in the social dynamics of hunter‐gatherer populations in different regions of the Southern Andes. These transformations are associated with processes of demographic growth, territoriality, increased social complexity, technological innovations, and intensified exploitation of the environment. One of the technological transformations associated with these processes is the popularization of bone instruments. In this study, we discuss the functions of bone tools made by Late Holocene coastal hunters‐gatherers of North‐Central Chile, by carrying out a morphological characterization and identifying use‐wear patterns on their surfaces. Our results show that bone technology was used for hunting, fishing, and gathering activities, from flint working to processing vegetal fibres and hide. A reduce number of artefacts had an ornamental use as well. These results suggest a varied and intensive exploitation of the surrounding space by coastal groups, where bones of land animals constituted an important part of the raw materials used in bone industry. Also, we argue that some bone artefacts were elements structuring social relations, as they participated in flows of information and social networks. We conclude by arguing that the popularization of bone industry reflects the dynamics of social complexity, as well as how bone was integrated as a productive, economic, and social resource in the process of coastal hunters and gatherers who inhabited the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a case of treponemic disease in a skeleton of a female adult found at Los Tres Cerros 1 archaeological site (Upper Delta of Paraná River, Entre Ríos, Argentina). This site was occupied by hunter–gatherer–fisher groups that also practised horticulture during the Late Holocene (ca. 1227–560 years BP). A macroscopic description of bone lesions is complemented with data from X‐rays and CT scans. Different types of lesions were observed in the left ulna, femora, right patella, tibiae, and fibulae. In addition, two remodelled depressions surrounded by bony thickening and porosities were found in the frontal bone. Some lesions registered in the skull were associated with caries sicca. In the differential diagnosis, chronic leg ulcers, Paget's disease, tuberculosis, leprosy, osteomyelitis, and treponematosis were considered. The analyses indicate that most of the injuries may be compatible with nonvenereal forms of treponematosis. Few cases of treponemic disease were recorded in Argentina's bioarchaeological collections of pre‐Hispanic populations. Specifically, in the north‐eastern region, two skeletons with treponematosis have so far been reported. The present study provides new evidence of treponematosis in the Delta of the Paraná River. Therefore, this case adds to the scant evidence of pre‐Hispanic treponematosis that exists for these latitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) was the most relevant species in hunter‐gatherer subsistence of the Argentine Pampas during the Quaternary. An early Late Holocene (3,184 ± 50 14C years bp) guanaco assemblage with evidence of exploitation, coming from Cerro del Águila site, Buenos Aires Province, is analysed herein. The assemblage is composed by three perinatal individuals; the estimated age at the moment of death ranges from a few weeks before birth to a few weeks old. Cerro del Águila is interpreted as a site where activities of procurement and processing of perinatal individuals were performed. The available information allows raising a discussion on the hunting and exploitation strategies of guanaco in a regional context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zooarchaeological analyses of pinniped remains have been scarce in South America because of lack of specific studies of species determination and estimation of age and sex. Nonetheless, the presence of small and unfused bones (assigned as pup remains) of Otaria flavescens ( O. flavescens) in the Patagonian archaeological record has been frequently used as an indicator of summer occupation accomplished by ecological analogues. For this reason, we carried out a postcranial skeletons osteometric study of modern pups of South American sea lions ( O. flavescens) with known sex and aged 0-12 months, allowing a more precise age estimation of archaeological samples. Then, we revisited the evidence for seasonality in the Cabo Virgenes 6 site at Cabo Virgenes locality, one of the archaeological localities in Patagonia where the seasonality has been determined only on the basis of the presence of unfused pup bones. Our metric data study on a modern sample shows that the regression analyses generated a complementary and dependable age estimation model for unfused appendicular bones of O. flavescens between 0 and 12 months old that can be applied to samples recovered from archaeological sites. These osteometric studies of postcranial elements allow us to adjust the age estimation of the animal's death and re-examine seasonality of the Cabo Virgenes 6 site (Santa Cruz, Argentina). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents bioarchaeological patterns of interpersonal violence inferred for Northeastern Patagonia (Argentina) during the late Holocene. The main goal is to evaluate if there is a significant increase in the frequency of indicators of violence during the final late Holocene, prior to colonial times, in possible concordance with the Medieval Climatic Anomaly ( ca. 1150-600 years BP). A sample of skulls (n = 797) was studied through a series of methodological steps that included the evaluation of their state of preservation and the study of potential injuries, taking into account the degree of ambiguity of the diagnosis. The sample was divided into three chronological groups: early ( ca. 3500-2500 years BP), middle ( ca. 2500-1500 years BP) and late ( ca. 1500-400 years BP). The individuals were also separated according to sex, age category and geographical distribution. Although a temporal trend toward increased violence was detected, it was not statistically significant. There was also a higher percentage of positive cases in Northern individuals compared to the Southern ones, and between males compared to females, but neither case had statistically significant differences. Alternative mechanisms, such as population dispersals, exchange and use of buffer areas, that may have functioned to dispel social tensions, are proposed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This article explores the levels of fragmentation and fracture patterns in archaeofaunal assemblages from the lower basin of the Colorado River (Argentina) following Outram's methodology. Remains of ungulates (guanaco) have suffered, in these assemblages, a high degree of fragmentation probably caused during the processing of the carcasses. The presence of helical debris and shaft fragments indicates that fragmentation would respond to processing tasks for the consumption of marrow and possibly bone grease. The results of the application of this methodology that were obtained from the analysis of three late Holocene sites (La Primavera, Loma Ruiz 1 and El Tigre) are presented. These results provide new evidence not only for patterns of marrow and bone grease consumption but also for dealing with the subsistence model proposed for the study area. In this sense, the intensification processes already proposed during the final late Holocene (1000-250 bp) are discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]