Early Occupations in Tierra del Fuego and the Evidence from Layer S at the Imiwaia I Site (Beagle Channel, Argentina)

Abstract

In this paper we analyse the evidence from layer S of Imiwaia I site. This stratigraphic unit is a soil developed on fluvial-glacial sediment, which contains a human occupation with a radiocarbon age of 7842 ± 53 years BP (AA78551; 8420 cal. BP - 8662 cal. BP).In an excavated area of 72 square meters, 25 instruments, 30 blanks, and around 3600 lithic debris were found. Regarding typology and raw materials, this archaeological assemblage is distinctive compared to two early occupations in Tierra del Fuego (Tres Arroyos and Marazzi) as well as to later assemblages related to maritime hunter-gatherers in south coast of the island. Layer S shows affinity only with the recovered instrumental in the First Component of Túnel I (6980 ± 100 radiocarbon years BP, 7590 AP cal. - 7942 AP cal.). In sum, layer S reveals certain peculiarities which have great importance for understanding the early peopling of Tierra del Fuego. Accordingly, the information presented in this paper expands our knowledge about the first population of Tierra del Fuego, and puts into perspective the archaeological patterns previously identified for the Early Holocene of the southern tip of the Americas.