The west coast of San Matías Gulf (Río Negro province, Argentina) is an extensive segment of the North Patagonian coastline where the archaeological information is scarce. In this paper we present the results of an osteometric study developed on large mammals zooarchaeological remains (Otariidae y Lama guanicoe) recovered in the stratigraphic contexts of Punta Odriozola archaeological locality. These deposits correspond to pedestrian hunter-gatherers-fisherman occupations dated around 3.000 years BP. In the case of the otariids, Arctocephalus australis were identified as animals that were exploited as prey for human subsistence. Using this evidence, we discuss the type of rookeries that existed in the area in the past. The predominance of this specie in this coast aforetime is highlighted because it was quite different from the current picture. In the case of guanaco (Lama guanicoe), we registered archaeological specimens that were bigger than the modern populations. The possible causes of the morphological variations found are discussed considering the low hunting pressure suffered by these terrestrial mammals during the initial Late Holocene in the study area.
Keywords:
osteometry, Arctocephalus australis, Lama guanicoe, coastal sites, late holocene
Borella, F., & L’Heureux, G. L. (2020). Morphological and corological variations of the main mammals exploited in an archaeological locality of the nordpatagonic Atlantic coast. Revista Chilena De Antropología, (41), 36–54. https://doi.org/10.5354/0719-1472.2020.57901
