Osteoarchaeology and taphonomy of a late holocene burial: El Molle 1 (Tucumán, Argentina)
The El Molle 1 archaeological site is located in a mountainous area of the province of Tucumán, in northwest Argentina. It is a human burial that was found partially eroded on the edge of the Amaicha Riverbed. The individual has been dated to 2210 ± 20 years BP and isotopic analyses have establish...
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| Autores principales: | , , , |
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| Formato: | Artículo revista |
| Lenguaje: | Español |
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Centro de Estudios Históricos. UA CONICET
2025
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| Acceso en línea: | https://revistas.unc.edu.ar/index.php/comechingonia/article/view/44355 |
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| Sumario: | The El Molle 1 archaeological site is located in a mountainous area of the province of Tucumán, in northwest Argentina. It is a human burial that was found partially eroded on the edge of the Amaicha Riverbed. The individual has been dated to 2210 ± 20 years BP and isotopic analyses have established that the individual’s diet was that of a hunter-gatherer. The objectives of this research are framed in a multidisciplinary approach that includes osteoarchaeology, taphonomy, radiology and microscopy to study the human remains and contribute to knowledge about the life and post-mortem history of the individual, as well as about the funerary practices of people who inhabited the area at that time. The results show that 62% of the skeleton is preserved and that the remains correspond to a woman between 35 and 40 years of age who measured just over 157 cm in height. Harris lines on the tibia indicate metabolic stress at puberty, while bone alteration in the right lower limb indicates functional stress at the time of death. The bilateral asymmetry of the humeral shafts suggests that she was left-handed. Acid etching caused by roots affected 98% of the specimens and some of the traces show natural burn marks that modified the bone surfaces. Molle 1 is interpreted as a primary burial with loss of bone remains due to river erosion. |
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