Armadillos as taphonomic agents of archaeological sites in the Pampas Region, Argentina

Abstract

Armadillos constitute a recurrent taphonomic agent in the disturbance of archaeological sites in the Pampas region of Argentina. Their burrows generate vertical and horizontal movement of archeological and modern materials, creating anomalous associations, both on the surface, as well as at the deep levels of a site. Measuring the potential impact of armadillo burrows on a local environment in direct proximity with an archaeological site may help to reconstruct its taphonomic history. The objective of this work is to evaluate the impact of armadillo burrows on the formation processes of the Hangar site. Point provenience and morphometric measurements were recorded on 169 armadillo burrows located in direct proximity to the Hangar site archaeological excavation. The mean length of the burrow entrances was 70.7 cm, and the mean slope was 40.4°. The armadillos excavated an average of 0.036 m3 from each burrow. Approximately 59% of the burrows surveyed presented material re-exposed by armadillos, including lithic, ceramic artifacts, prehistoric and modern faunal remains, and human bones. For the Hangar site, burrowing animals were signficant agents in the formation processes of the assemblage. Our results help explain the mixing of materials in the Hangar site, and could be used in the interpretation of other sites affected by armadillos in similar habitats.