Archaeobotanical and Dendrochronological Studies of a Spanish Colonial Settlement in Nahuel Huapi (Patagonia, Eighteenth Century)

Abstract

With the aim of providing information based on interethnic relationships in the Patagonian territory after the seventeenth century, we present a study on the archaeological site Cancha de Pelota Llao Llao (Bariloche, Río Negro Province, Argentina), which is associated with the colonial presence in the Nahuel Huapi Lake area. The aim of this work is twofold: to learn about the space and woody resources and to provide new evidence for the chronological determination of the site through a dendrochronological study. The archaeobotanical study of the charcoal fragments and wooden posts provided information on the kind of use made of resources and space. In addition, the attained results allowed for a remarkable chronological determination, adding accurate information to the archaeology of the area. Cross-dating against a regional chronology composed of 550 trees assigns an earlier date (1604–1647) to Post 1, which appears to come from the central (older) part of a tree. In contrast, the date assigned to Post 2 (1733–1792) is consistent with a radial growth pattern common to adult or mature trees. This possibility of determining the precise chronological framework offers a new direction for research that could be very useful in Patagonian historical archaeology.