Palaeobotany contributions in the reconstruction of palaeodiets. Coprolite analysis of Cerro Casa de Piedra, Santa Cruz

Coprolites are dehydrated or mineralized fossil feces containing organic and inorganic inclusions. The study of plant inclusions of coprolites allows knowing the vegetable items consumed by organisms and inferring the seasonality in the use of the site. This work aims at studying pollen and plant re...

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Autores principales: Martínez Tosto, Ana Cecilia, Burry, Lidia Susana, Civalero, María Teresa
Formato: Artículo revista
Lenguaje:Español
Publicado: Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Museo de Antropología 2012
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Acceso en línea:https://revistas.unc.edu.ar/index.php/antropologia/article/view/9136
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Sumario:Coprolites are dehydrated or mineralized fossil feces containing organic and inorganic inclusions. The study of plant inclusions of coprolites allows knowing the vegetable items consumed by organisms and inferring the seasonality in the use of the site. This work aims at studying pollen and plant remains from a human coprolite in the CCP7 site related to an archaeological layer dated from around 8920±200 14C (UGA 7383) years BP. CCP7 is located in the province of Santa Cruz (Argentina) within the forest-steppe ecotone. Pollen and microhistological analyses of coprolite plant remains were conducted. Thirteen pollen types were identified: three from forest vegetation and the rest from the steppe. Azorella monanthos, Empetrum rubrum and Gaultheria mucronata were identified by means of microhistological analysis. Simultaneous microhistological and palynological data analysis showed partial matches between the content of pollen and plant remains, which helped to rebuild the palaeodiet plant portion and infer the time of year that the person who produced the coprolite was occupying the CCP7 site.