Ancient woods used in a ritual context at Chenque I cemetery (Pampean region, Argentina)

Abstract

Empirical evidence of ancient ritual practices is not often found in many archaeological sites. This complex ideological aspect of past human societies has usually been reported in association with the presence of monuments such as sculptures, tombs, funeral mounds, temples and shrines and also with particular artefacts used during ceremonies andrituals such as ceramic, stone or metal vessels, musical instruments and so on. Archaeobotanical evidence could contribute enormously to the study of ritual practices particularly in contexts where ritual practices involved many other different paraphernalia including plants, animals, minerals and artefacts made of perishable materials such as wood and fibers. Identification of plant remains in itself constitutes a source of information about cultural choices. Chenque I site is a cemetery, which includes several human burials and was used between 1050 and 290 BP by hunter-gatherers groups inhabiting western Pampean region in Argentina. We studied and identify charcoals from burial structure 28in which funerary practices such as burning of human remains have been recorded.