Site Context and the Spatial Organization of a Late Holocene Coastal Hunter-Gatherer Campsite in North-Central Chile, South America
Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: We explored the site context of a late Holocene shell midden on the coast of Los Vilos in north-central Chile (31°51′ S, South America) to better understand the spatial organization of short-term, small-sized hunter-gatherer campsites. The Dunas de Agua Amarilla (LV 007) site comprises 14 separate surf clam refuse deposits. Extensive stratigraphic excavations of the shell middens and the areas free of residue allowed interpretation of potential activity areas bounded by hearths, the shell middens, and a possible dwelling space. Late Holocene campsites in the area correspond to brief occupational events framed within littoral residential mobility, in which predictable coastal resources became a staple for groups residing and circulating over long periods in the area. Data on shell midden composition and the spatial distribution of site features shed light on the organizational dynamics of dwelling and activity spaces of coastal hunter-gatherers of the South Pacific.
Source: Latin American Antiquity
DOI: 10.1017/laq.2020.60
Institutions: Patagonian Ecosystems Investigation Research Center, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Sorbonne Université, Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat : Expérimentations et Approches Numériques, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Université Pierre-et-Marie-Curie, Universidad Católica del Norte, University of La Serena, University of Chile
Language: English
Subfield: Archeology
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3111280904