The use of faunal resources along the Atlantic coast of Tierra del Fuego

Abstract

In this article, we present the analysis results of the faunal resources from the Okon XXI, Teis X and Teis XI (Late Holocene) archaeological sites, located along the Atlantic coast of Tierra del Fuego (near Estancia María Luisa). In regard to faunal resource consumption, the results show the exploitation of a large-species spectrum, with a predominance of marine fauna (pinniped, fish and marine birds), which nevertheless was not focused on the use of a single taxon. Additionally, this work confirms that these CRP (hunter-gatherer-fisher) groups had considerable knowledge of coastal and terrestrial environments, and consequently of how to exploit its resources. Four very diverse taxa are found across all sites: Lama guanicoe, Arctocephalus australis, Austrolycus sp., and Phalacrocorax sp. A combined analysis of other Late Holocene sites along the Atlantic coast of Tierra del Fuego provides crucial information concerning the variable intensity in use of guanaco and marine resources. However, there is a marked tendency: towards the South there is a greater consumption of marine resources and birds and a lesser one of guanaco, when compared against sites along the Northern coast.