Environmental dynamics and formation processes of the archaeological record in Latin America

Abstract

In recent years, geoarchaeology has grown significantly in Latin America both in terms of the number of researchers who practice it and the fields of application. The development of this discipline was encouraged by the pioneering work of several geoscientists including Marcelo Zárate and Pablo Tchilinguirian in Argentina, José Luiz de Morais and Astolfo Araujo in Brazil, and Pedro Botero in Colombia. These early contributions showed the great potential of geoarchaeological studies to better inform the interpretation of the archaeological record and the importance of an interdisciplinary approach. In the 1990s the first courses in geoarchaeology in Latin American scientific institutions were taught by some of these pioneers. During the 21st century, the number of practitioners and papers that could be framed in this discipline increased significantly in Latin America, promoting the organization of dedicated geoarchaeology workshops and symposia in national or international meetings, first in the field of archaeology (since 2001) and later in the field of geology (since 2005).