Archaeofaunal remains in a battle context: La Vuelta de Obligado

Abstract

In this article we present an update and new zooarchaeological results on the historical site of La Vuelta de Obligado (San Pedro, Buenos Aires province, Argentina). This site was the setting of an important battle in 1845; where a land and naval confrontation between Argentinian forces and an Anglo-French fleet took place. An analysis of the archaeofaunal remains contributes to the interpretation of the battlefield site by evaluating aspects related to the consumption practices of Argentinian troops. Amongst the assemblage analysed, certain bone remains were set aside as having intruded onto the archaeological record via non-anthropic agents. This allowed us to further determine which species were consumed by local troops. Primarily, the faunal study entailed identification and taxonomic representation (NISP, MNI), as well as their state of conservation and examining the bone alterations (marks, thermal alteration, weathering, etc.) present on the bones. This comprehensive analysis was supported by data provided from written documents together with information from additional finds associated to consumption recovered from the site (i.e. crockery, pottery, glass and metal).