Late Pleistocene Fuel Management and Human Colonization of the Atacama Desert, Northern Chile

Abstract

Hunter-gatherers collected and used various woody species depending on the landscape, availability of plant communities, and sociocultural considerations. With extensive paleo-wetlands and groundwater-fed oases, the Atacama Desert was interspersed with riparian woodlands that provided vital resources (fuel, water, and game) at the end of the Pleistocene in areas such as the Pampa del Tamarugal (PdT) basin. We use anthracological analyses to determine the fuel management strategies of hunter-gatherer societies in this hyperarid environment and explore whether the “Principle of Least Effort” applies. First, we present the combustion qualities and characteristics of woody taxa from the Atacama and analyze possible exploitation strategies. Second, we use anthracological analyses from Quebrada Maní 12 (QM12), a late Pleistocene archaeological site (dated from 12,750 to 11,530 cal B.P.) located in the PdT basin, to show the prevalence of two woody species that were either freshly collected or gathered (very likely on purpose) from subfossil wood. Our results suggest that fuel selection strategies were based on prior knowledge of the qualities of these woody taxa and how they burned. Thus we conclude that fuel management was part of a number of social and economic decisions that allowed for effective colonization of this region. Furthermore, we stress the need for caution when using charcoal to exclusively date archaeological sites located in desert environments.

Processes of Paleoindian site and desert pavement formation in the Atacama Desert, Chile

“…The hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile was populated ~13,000 years ago, partially coinciding with the timing of the earliest widespread cultures elsewhere in the Americas (Goebel et al, 2008; Grosjean et al, 2005; Latorre et al, 2013; Smallwood and Jennings, 2015; Santoro et al, 2017). The timing and paleoenvironments of this early human occupation at the end of the Pleistocene have been well established by previous studies (Núñez et al, 2002; Grosjean et al, 2005; Latorre et al, 2013; Joly et al, 2017; Santoro et al, 2017; Santoro et al, 2019). Paleoindian sites in the region remain on or close to the surface of old, abandoned alluvial fans and terraces, often embedded in what seem to be desert pavements (Springer, 1958; McFadden et al, 1987; Wells et al, 1995; Wood et al, 2005; Adelsberger and Smith, 2009; Dixon, 2009; Dietze et al, 2016) and contain occupational palimpsests spanning up to 1000 years.…”

“…For both sites we described a soil profile of an already open excavation (excavated in previous field seasons; Latorre et al, 2013; Santoro et al, 2019). Additionally, for QM12, we performed two new excavations: one in an area that was visibly less disturbed (QM12d), and a second next to the open excavation of the locus QM12c (QM12c-North Expansion, hereafter called QM12c-NE), where the more intense occupation was uncovered (Latorre et al, 2013; Joly et al, 2017). Excavations were carried out following a décapage method (Leroi-Gourhan and Brézillon, 1966; Courbin, 1987), recording in situ positions of tools, plus orientation and dip of all artifacts to evaluate vertical migration.…”

From the Pacific to the Tropical Forests: Networks of Social Interaction in the Atacama Desert, Late in the Pleistocene

“…The associated archaeological sites we have studied were synchronous with CAPE II, although paleoclimate data suggest equivalent paleoecological and hydroclimatic conditions during the first CAPE stage (17,500-14,200 cal yr BP) yet no archaeology date to this period has been identified. Anomalous earlier and later dates of marine shell, wood, and plant remains are not considered within this time frame because of the marine reservoir effect and the presence of old -subfossil-wood (Table 1; Herrera 2017;Joly et al 2017;Latorre et al 2013).…”

“…Caesalpinia aphylla, Atriplex spp.) species that provided fuel for the camps (Gayo et al 2012;Joly et al 2017;Nester et al 2007). Likewise, several herbaceous plants were also present as archaeological refuse consumed in the open camps, including Typha, Cyperaceae, Chenopodium, Cisthante sp., Cortaderia atacamenis, Poaceae, and D. spicata (Gayo et al 2012), which have a variety of uses such as fodder, food, medicinal, tinctorial, construction and as raw materials for cordages (Villagrán et al 1999;Villagrán et al 2003).…”

Cambios ambientales y estrategias de aprovisionamiento de rocas durante el periodo 12000-4000 años AP en la puna de Jujuy, Argentina

“…En otras áreas tales como la Quebrada Maní del Norte de Chile parece ocurrir un fenómeno contrario, donde la selección de los recursos combustibles reflejan un fehaciente conocimiento y uso del ambiente local por las ocupaciones tempranas (Joly et al 2017). …”