Record of carnivorous mammals in pre-Hispanic hunter-gatherer sites in the southern extreme of the La Plata basin (South America): taphonomic and cultural implications

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze and discuss the taphonomic and cultural implications of the carnivore/omnivore mammal record recovered from 37 archaeological sites associated with complex hunter-gatherer groups, as well as one archaeological site linked to a forager-horticulturalist population that occupied the southern end of the La Plata Basin during the late Holocene. The role of carnivores as taphonomic agents in the formation of archaeofaunal and bioarchaeological assemblages is evaluated. Additionally, we examine a range of cultural aspects to assess their significance as a food resource and their technological role as providers of raw materials such as bones, teeth, and skins. From a similar perspective, we analyze their involvement in mortuary practices, given that remains of different carnivore species have been recorded at several of the sites studied. The presence of pre-Columbian domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) in association with and in close proximity to human burials suggests that they were especially valued.