Marine Ventures Project A Comparative Perspective for the Human Colonization of Archipelago Landscapes in Norway and Patagonia

Abstract

The Marine Ventures project addresses three interconnected topics: (1) the colonization of seascapes and the dynamics of marine foraging development; (2) the interactions between logistics (e.g., boats) and settlements; and (3) dwelling types and settlement structures. These themes guide the project’s exploration of how hunter-gatherer societies interacted with their environmental, material, and social surroundings in two distinct yet comparable settings: the archipelagos of Scandinavia and Patagonia. Both regions were significantly shaped by Pleistocene glaciations, resulting in similar natural histories and seascapes. Human occupation of these areas, coinciding with the glacial retreat during the late Pleistocene, represents one of the last major colonization processes in human history. Consequently, the coastal archaeological sequences of both regions show parallel developments. This paper aims to address these parallels through a comparative analysis of two early coastal sites excavated as part of the Marine Ventures project: Mohalsen II on the island of Vega (Norway) and Binushmuka I in the Beagle Channel (Argentina). The evidence discussed considers how the locations and assemblage structures of these sites may reflect patterns of mobility and settlement during the colonization process.