Earth, wind and fire: Interactions between Quaternary environmental dynamics and human occupation on the southern coast of Brazil

Alessandretti, Luciano; Giannini, Paulo César Fonseca; Warren, Lucas Veríssimo; Bruckmann, Matheus Philipe; Martini, Amós

doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2022.107950

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…This condition may have reduced the availability of mollusks such as Anomalocardia flexuosa [ 23 ], which were a major resource used to construct local sambaquis . At the same time, strong winds and an increase in unconsolidated sands may have influenced the decrease of active shellmounds located close to the sand barrier and paleolagoon [ 24 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first hypothesis is that this phenomenon resulted from the gradual expansion of new ceramist groups associated with the Southern proto-Jê populations, who migrated from inland regions to the coastal areas over an extended period, eventually encountering the sambaquis populations [13]. The second explanation suggests that the progressive abandonment of the traditional sambaqui-building practices was influenced by environmental changes, potentially triggered by climate fluctuations or sea level variations [6,[19][20][21][22][23][24]. Alternatively, it is plausible that a combination of environmental and cultural factors contributed to the decrease of these sites in the region [18,25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Late shellmound occupation in southern Brazil: A multi-proxy study of the Galheta IV archaeological site

Mendes Cardoso,

Merencio,

Villagran

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Brazilian coastal archaeology is renowned for its numerous and large shellmounds (sambaquis), which had been continuously occupied from at least 8000 to 1000 years cal BP. However, changes in their structure and material culture in the late Holocene have led to different hypotheses concerning their ecological and cultural changes. The archaeological site Galheta IV (ca. 1300 to 500 years cal BP) offers new insights into the complexity of the late coastal occupation in southern Brazil. Our attempt was to determine whether Galheta IV can be classified as a sambaqui site, or if it belongs to a Southern proto-Jê settlement. Here, we reassessed Galheta’s collections and applied a multi-proxy approach using: new 14C dates, zooarchaeology, δ13C and δ15N isotopes in bulk collagen and 87Sr/86Srenamel isotopic ratios from eight human individuals, ceramics analysis, and FTIR. The results indicate an intense exploitation of marine resources, with an area designated for processing animals located at the opposite side of the funerary areas. Bone tools and specific species of animals were found as burial accompaniments. No evidence of human cremations was detected. 87Sr/86Sr results indicate that the eight human individuals always lived on the coast, and did not come from the inland. The pottery analysis confirms the association with Itararé-Taquara, but contrary to what was assumed by previous studies, the pottery seems related to other coastal sites, and not to the highlands. In light of these findings, we propose that Galheta IV can be considered a funerary mound resulting from long and continuous interactions between shellmound and Southern proto-Jê populations. This study not only enhances our understanding of the late coastal occupation dynamics in southern Brazil but also underscores its importance in reshaping current interpretations of shellmound cultural changes over time.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%