Science and Technology Production

Ancient agriculture and domestic activities in north western Argentina: a contextual approach studying silicaphytoliths and other microfossils in soils.

Article

Authorship:

KORSTANJE, MARIA ALEJANDRA ; Cuenya, Patricia

Date:

2008

Publishing House and Editing Place:

Oxbow Books

Magazine:

Environmental Archaeology. The Journal of Human Paleoecology Oxbow Books

Summary *

Based on field and soils data we discuss some new trends in agricultural archaeological studies from independent evidence of Architecture and Artefacts. As a result of our investigations we recognized, not only the vegetal species cultivated in ancient fields (dated in ca. 800 a.C.), but also distinguished some of the agricultural practices such as crop rotation and alternation; use of animal fertilizers, irrigation resources, and abandonment of the site. From the point of view of residential enclosures, we have some interesting results about activity areas, floor definitions, and reoccupations. Also corral episodes may be distinguished. Two Formative sites from north-western Argentina high valleys at the province of Catamarca were analyzed for this study Information provided by the agent in SIGEVA