Maritime Hunter-Gatherers in the Chonos Archipelago

This article was downloaded by: [omar reyes] On: 06 March 2015, At: 09:56 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/uica20 Maritime Hunter-Gatherers in the Chonos Archipelago (43°50’–46°50’ S), Western Patagonian Channels Omar Reyes Báeza, Mauricio Moragabc, César Méndezb & Alexander Cherkinskyd a Instituto de la Patagonia, Centro de Estudios del Hombre Austral, Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile b Departamento de Antropología, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile Click for updates c Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile d Center for Applied Isotope Studies, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA Published online: 03 Mar 2015. To cite this article: Omar Reyes Báez, Mauricio Moraga, César Méndez & Alexander Cherkinsky (2015): Maritime Hunter-Gatherers in the Chonos Archipelago (43°50’–46°50’ S), Western Patagonian Channels, The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, DOI: 10.1080/15564894.2014.1001920 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15564894.2014.1001920 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. 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Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms- and-conditions Downloaded by [omar reyes] at 09:56 06 March 2015 Journal of Island & Coastal Archaeology, 00:1–25, 2015 Copyright © 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1556-4894 print / 1556-1828 online DOI: 10.1080/15564894.2014.1001920 Maritime Hunter-Gatherers in the Chonos Archipelago (43◦50’–46◦50’ S), Western Patagonian Channels Omar Reyes Baez,´ 1 Mauricio Moraga,2,3 Cesar´ Mendez,´ 2 and Alexander Cherkinsky4 1Instituto de la Patagonia, Centro de Estudios del Hombre Austral, Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile 2Departamento de Antropolog´ıa, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile 3Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile 4Center for Applied Isotope Studies, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA ABSTRACT This article presents the current advances in archeological research on the Western Patagonian Channels, specifically the Chonos Archipelago (43◦50’–46◦50’ S). Based on a large spatial scale, we aim to contribute to the discussion of the dispersion and characteristics of the occupation of the Pacific coast of southernmost South America. Results show that all of the contexts recorded do not exceed 3600 cal BP. Site formation processes that may have acted in the preservation of the archeological record of this area led us to question if this region was among the last to be settled (as suggested by current chronological data), or if the dynamic tectonic activity that permanently transforms this coast is playing a major role in concealing earlier evidence, thereby introducing a significant research bias. Keywords archipelagic settlements, Late Holocene, maritime hunter-gatherers, site Downloaded by [omar reyes] at 09:56 06 March 2015 formation processes, Western Patagonian Channels INTRODUCTION Pleistocene and throughout the Holocene (Aniya 1999; Fairbanks 1989; Isla 1989; Long The permanent degradation and transfor- 2001; Nakada and Lambeck 1988) has been mation of coastlines caused by the fluctu- problematic for the archaeological identi- ations of sea levels since the end of the fication and interpretation of sites on the Received 13 January 2014; accepted 15 July 2014. Address correspondence to Omar Reyes Báez, Instituto de la Patagonia, Centro de Estudios del Hom- bre Austral, Universidad de Magallanes, Av. Bulnes 01890, Casilla 113-D, Punta Arenas, Chile. E-mail: [email protected] Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article can be found online at http://www.tandfonline.com/uica. 1 Omar Reyes Baez´ et al. American coasts (e.g., Bailey 2004; Erland- of the evidence and the temporality of the son 2001; Gusick and Faught 2011; Richard- settlement on the continent’s Pacific margin son 1981). These transformations influenced (e.g., Dillehay 2009; Erlandson 1993). the dependency relationship of these com- Taking into account sea-level changes, munities with their maritime or coastal the active local seismic dynamics, and the ef- environment (Bailey and Parkington 1988; fects of these on coastal archeological sites, Erlandson and Fitzpatrick 2006). Under- we have surveyed a previously understud- standing changes in accessibility of these ied zone of the northern archipelagos of the spaces and the local redistribution of ex- Western Patagonian Channels. In this arti- ploitable resources on timescales of hun- cle, we present the first archaeological as- dreds or thousands of years requires pale- sessment of the human settlement in the ogeographical and paleoenvironmental re- Chonos Archipelago (43◦50’—46◦50’ S; see constructions in order to guide the search Figure 1), which includes: 1) the description for archaeological evidence. The degree of of the research method; 2) the identification preservation of these spaces is also strongly and systematic recording of the archaeologi- associated with the changes in the land- cal sites associated with these coastlines; 3) scape, which were frequently catastrophic the description and assessment of the geo- (Lomnitz 1970). Only with this informa- morphological changes that affect the latter; tion can the regional cultural development and 4) the study of the archaeological collec- of coastal settlements be interpreted (Dille- tions. This assessment enables us to advance hay et al. 2008; Fedje and Christensen an initial panorama of the settlement, both 1999; Mackie et al. 2011; Thompson and spatially and chronologically, in the context Worth 2011). of marine adaptation on the southern tip of On the margin of the American Pacific the American continent. there are vast areas, some of which have not yet been investigated, with coastlines sub- ject to permanent changes and erosional processes (Punke and Davis 2006; Rick et al. CULTURAL CONTEXT 2006). The materials that define the occupation of these coastal spaces, the techno- On the southern tip of the Chilean Pacific logical assemblages, and the evidence of the coast, there is a long and complex net of consumed resources, are frequently recov- channels, fjords, and thousands of islands ered from intertidal zones or degraded coasts known as the “Austral Archipelagos” or the (Erlandson and Moss 1999). Therefore, it is “Western Patagonian Channels” (Bird 1988; necessary to develop strategies for the loca- Emperaire 1963; Steffen 1910). This area ex- tion, recording, dating, and interpretation of tends more than 1,600 km north-to-south Downloaded by [omar reyes] at 09:56 06 March 2015 the material evidence of these settlements and reaches from the Reloncav´ıSoundto to understand the cultural dynamics that de- Cape Horn (41◦30’–55◦60’ S). The coastline fine coastal adaptation (e.g., Bailey 2004; Er- totals more 19,000 km with a surface area landson 2001; Yesner 1980). Such strategies of 240,000 km2, which should be added to will enable us to measure the unequal distri- ˜240 km of coastline north of the Beagle bution of the archaeological records in the Channel and south of Tierra del Fuego, in region. The implications are twofold. At the Argentina. In this vast archipelagic area, the regional level and for Patagonia, it is possi- distinguishable maritime adaptations com- ble to document a diversity of spaces occu- mence approximately at 6400 BP (7300 cal pied by maritime hunter-gatherers in areas BP) toward the southernmost tip of the conti- not previously examined. This fact is impor- nent according to data obtained in the Beagle tant because the archipelagic geography of Channel (Orquera et al. 2011; Orquera and the study area is singular for its extension, re- Piana 2009). striction of access, and weather conditions. In this regional context, several top- Additionally, at a mega scale, our results con- ics have been discussed. Among them, the tribute to the discussion of the variability geographical origin of the maritime adap- 2 VOLUME 00 • ISSUE 00 • 2015 Western Patagonian Channels Figure 1. (a) Western Patagonian channels, (b) Chonos archipelago and sites mentioned in this study: 1. Puqueldon,´ 2. Repollal, 3. Puquit´ın

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