Anthracological analyses of fuel wood used by hunter-gatherers in the south coast of Tierra del Fuego during the late Holocene

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present a first assessment of the use of woody vegetation resources for combustion by hunter-gatherer societies in eastern areas of Tierra del Fuego. For this purpose, carbonized wood fragments from the archeological context of the Heshkaia 35 site (Moat Bay, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina) were analyzed. Results show a local use of woody material from diverse plant species (Nothofagus pumilio, Nothofagus sp., Drymis winteri, and Maytenus magellanica). A comparison of these results with the data available from other archeological sites of the southern coast of Tierra del Fuego offers a comparative perspective on the management of these resources within the region.