Journal Articles by Erik Marsh
Quaternary International, 2023
PLOS ONE, 2023
The timing of Tiwanaku's collapse remains contested. Here we present a generational-scale chronol... more The timing of Tiwanaku's collapse remains contested. Here we present a generational-scale chronology of Tiwanaku using Bayesian models of 102 radiocarbon dates, including 45 unpublished dates. This chronology tracks four community practices: residing short-vs. long-term, constructing monuments, discarding decorated ceramics, and leaving human burials. Tiwanaku was founded around AD 100 and around AD 600, it became the region's principal destination for migrants. It grew into one of the Andes' first cities and became famous for its decorated ceramics, carved monoliths, and large monuments. Our Bayesian models show that monument building ended~AD 720 (the median of the ending boundary). Around~AD 910, burials in tombs ceased as violent deaths began, which we document for the first time in this paper. Ritualized murders are limited to the century leading up to~AD 1020. Our clearest proxy for social networks breaking down is a precise estimate for the end of permanent residence,~AD 1010 (970-1050, 95%). This major inflection point was followed by visitors who used the same ceramics until~AD 1040. Temporary camps lasted until roughly~AD 1050. These four events suggest a rapid, city-wide collapse at~AD 1010-1050, lasting just~20 years (0-70 years, 95%). These results suggest a cascading breakdown of community practices and social networks that were physically anchored at Tiwanaku, though visitors continued to leave informal burials for centuries. This generation-scale chronology suggests that collapse 1) took place well before reduced precipitation, hence this was not a drought-induced societal change and 2) a few resilient communities sustained some traditions at other sites, hence the chronology for the site of Tiwanaku cannot be transposed to all sites with similar material culture.
Comechingonia, 2022
Presentamos un estudio funcional de puntas de proyectil líticas procedentes de una región andina ... more Presentamos un estudio funcional de puntas de proyectil líticas procedentes de una región andina (31°S) con cronologías entre 6200 y 1760 años cal AP. La muestra corresponde al sitio Los Morrillos, Gruta 1 y 2 (San Juan, Argentina). Organizamos la historia ocupacional del sitio en tres fases: 1) 6200-5000 años cal AP, 2) 2530-2230 años cal AP y 3) a partir de 2000 años cal AP. Buscamos identificar diferentes sistemas de armas, afinar la cronología de ingreso del sistema arco-flecha y evaluar diferentes propuestas metodológicas para análisis discriminantes. Evaluamos diversas variables métricas: perímetro y área de sección transversal del limbo, masa, aerodinámica, ancho de hombros y ancho del cuello del pedúnculo. Registramos puntas de dardos a lo largo de toda la secuencia cronológica. Dentro de este tipo de proyectil distinguimos dos grupos: a) dardos grandes y más pesados y b) dardos pequeños y livianos. Estos últimos podrían vincularse al uso de emplumadura y/o a proyectiles de alta velocidad. En la primera fase solo se registran dardos, grandes y pequeños. Los dardos grandes tienen una representación importante en toda la secuencia ocupacional, los pequeños predominan en la fase 2. En esta fase se registran las puntas de flecha más tempranas del sitio (2530 años cal AP) y continúan presentes en la fase 3, lo que indica una co-existencia de sistemas de armas. Estos resultados son coherentes con las tendencias macrorregionales que proponen un ingreso del arco-flecha a los 29°S ca. 3000 años cal AP y a los 37°S ca. de 1000 años cal AP.
Latin American Antiquity, 2019
The Late Formative period immediately precedes the emergence of Tiwanaku, one of the earliest Sou... more The Late Formative period immediately precedes the emergence of Tiwanaku, one of the earliest South American states, yet it is one of the most poorly understood periods in the southern Lake Titicaca Basin (Bolivia). In this article, we refine the ceramic chronology of this period with large sets of dates from eight sites, focusing on temporal inflection points in decorated ceramic styles. These points, estimated here by Bayesian models, index specific moments of change: (1) cal AD 120 (60-170, 95% probability): the first deposition of Kalasasaya red-rimmed and zonally incised styles; (2) cal AD 240 (190-340, 95% probability): a tentative estimate of the final deposition of Kalasasaya zonally incised vessels; (3) cal AD 420 (380-470, 95% probability): the final deposition of Kalasasaya red-rimmed vessels; and (4) cal AD 590 (500-660, 95% probability): the first deposition of Tiwanaku Redwares. These four modeled boundaries anchor an updated Late Formative chronology, which includes the Initial Late Formative phase, a newly identified decorative hiatus between the Middle and Late Formative periods. The models place Qeya and transitional vessels between inflection points 3 and 4 based on regionally consistent stratigraphic sequences. This more precise chronology will enable researchers to explore the trajectories of other contemporary shifts during this crucial period in Lake Titicaca Basin's prehistory. El período Formativo tardío precede inmediatamente a la emergencia de Tiwanaku, uno de los estados más antiguos de Sudamé-rica, sin embargo, es una de las épocas menos comprendidas de la cuenca sur del Lago Titicaca (Bolivia). En este trabajo refinamos la cronología cerámica de este período con amplios conjuntos de fechados de ocho sitios y nos enfocamos en los puntos de inflexión temporales de los estilos de cerámica decorada. Estos puntos, estimados con modelos de Bayes, marcan momentos de cambio espe-cíficos: (1) 120 cal dC (60-170, 95% probabilidad): primera deposición de estilos Kalasasaya de borde rojo e inciso sectorizado; (2) 240 cal dC (190-340, 95% probabilidad): una estimación tentativa de la deposición final de vasijas de Kalasasaya inciso sector-izado; (3) 420 cal dC (380-470, 95% probabilidad): deposición final de vasijas de Kalasasaya de borde rojo; y (4) 590 cal DC (500-660, 95% probabilidad): primera deposición de los "redwares" tiwanacotos. Estos cuatro límites modelados anclan una cronología actualizada del Formativo tardío que incluye la fase del Formativo tardío inicial, un hiato decorativo identificado recientemente entre los períodos del Formativo medio y tardío. Estos modelos ubican a Qeya y a las vasijas transicionales entre los puntos de inflexión 3 y 4 a partir de secuencias estratigráficas consistentes regionalmente. Esta cronología más precisa permitirá a los inves-tigadores explorar las trayectorias de otros cambios contemporáneos durante este período crucial en la prehistoria de la cuenca del Lago Titicaca. Palabras clave: cuenca del Lago Titicaca, período Formativo Tardío, modelos bayesianos, secuencia de cerámica decorada, puntos de inflexión temporales
Revista del Museo de Antropología, 2020
This article presents a synthesis of geoarchaeological studies of lithic raw material sources and... more This article presents a synthesis of geoarchaeological studies of lithic raw material sources and quarries from three high-altitude areas in Mendoza and San Juan (29–34°S). These studies sought to identify the origin of the geological outcrops, their availability to humans as lithic resource, means of provisioning, and variable production systems. The studies rely on interdisciplinary field surveys and incorporate a variety of methods such as petrography, geochemistry, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In the San Juan province (29°S), ten primary and secondary lithic sources were differentially exploited for around 8500 years. In the northwest of Mendoza province (32°S), Darwin’s petrified forest and the Los Colorados formation were used as quarries. In the center of Mendoza province (34°S), two local obsidian geochemical signatures were identified. We emphasize the potential of this kind of studies to evaluate continuities and changes in human mobility strategies in high-altitude areas in central western Argentina.
REVISTA CUADERNOS DE ARTE PREHISTÓRICO, 2020
El Imperio Inca se extendió a lo largo de la cordillera de Los Andes, llegando en su extremo sur ... more El Imperio Inca se extendió a lo largo de la cordillera de Los Andes, llegando en su extremo sur hasta la zona de centro norte de Chile y el centro oeste argentino. Investigaciones anteriores han rastreado la conquista inca y su influencia cultural fundamentalmente a través de la documentación etnohistórica, la cerámica y la arquitectura. El objetivo de este trabajo es sumar una síntesis comparativa del registro rupestre del período Inca, compilando por primera vez los sitios rupestres incas del centro oeste Argentina. De acuerdo con otros datos, las concentraciones variables de sitios de arte rupestre sugieren que la atención del Tawantinsuyu se centró en la vertiente occidental de la cordillera, donde se han desarrollado la mayoría de las investigaciones. Parece que los grabados fueron hechos por artistas locales, no imperiales, utilizando soportes, técnicas y hasta motivos similares, inspirados en símbolos incaicos, pero reinterpretándolos. Es probable que estos mismos pudieran ser comprendidos de la misma manera por los habitantes de las dos vertientes. La hipótesis apoyada es que los grabados fueron llevados a cabo bajo la dirección de líderes locales como parte de una estrategia de mejorar su posición social en el imperio.
Journal of Lirhc Studies, 2018
The study size patterns in projectile points (n=39) from six sites in the Argentine Andes (29-34°... more The study size patterns in projectile points (n=39) from six sites in the Argentine Andes (29-34° S) associated with 17 radiocarbon dates with medians spanning 3080-470 cal. BP. In the northern part of our study area (29° S), one site has domestic llama (Lama glama) bones as early as 5800 cal. BP. In the central and southern part of the study area (32 and 34° S), clear evidence for pastoralism, horticulture, and potentially agriculture is no earlier than 1500 cal. BP. Our study area extends to 34° S, which is the southern limit of pastoral and food-producing societies in South America. In our study area, it is unknown if the bow was adopted early, as in the central Andes, or late and used alongside spears, as in Patagonia. This is the region's first attempt to metrically distinguish arrows and darts, which is based on shoulder or maximum width, following Shott. The northern sector located at 29° S includes the earliest arrow point, slightly after 3080 cal. BP. This suggests a rapid spread of this technology from the central Andes 16-26° S, where early arrows are dated ~3500-3000 cal. BP. However, at 32 and 34° S, arrows are not clearly present until 1280 cal. BP. For 1280-400 cal. BP (European contact), 96% of points were identified as arrows, suggesting the bow and arrow replaced spear-based weapon systems. A single late dart from 34° S may reflect a late use of this space by hunter-gatherers. The predominance of arrows beginning at 1280 cal. BP is associated with broader changes such as demographic growth, reduced mobility, low-level food production, and herding economies, following similar trends in other regions.
Latin American Antiquity, 2019
The Late Formative period immediately precedes the emergence of Tiwanaku, one of the earliest Sou... more The Late Formative period immediately precedes the emergence of Tiwanaku, one of the earliest South American states, yet it is one of the most poorly understood periods in the southern Lake Titicaca Basin (Bolivia). In this article, we refine the ceramic chronology of this period with large sets of dates from eight sites, focusing on temporal inflection points in decorated ceramic styles. These points, estimated here by Bayesian models, index specific moments of change: (1) cal AD 120 (60-170, 95% probability): the first deposition of Kalasasaya red-rimmed and zonally incised styles; (2) cal AD 240 (190-340, 95% probability): a tentative estimate of the final deposition of Kalasasaya zonally incised vessels; (3) cal AD 420 (380-470, 95% probability): the final deposition of Kalasasaya red-rimmed vessels; and (4) cal AD 590 (500-660, 95% probability): the first deposition of Tiwanaku Redwares. These four modeled boundaries anchor an updated Late Formative chronology, which includes the Initial Late Formative phase, a newly identified decorative hiatus between the Middle and Late Formative periods. The models place Qeya and transitional vessels between inflection points 3 and 4 based on regionally consistent stratigraphic sequences. This more precise chronology will enable researchers to explore the trajectories of other contemporary shifts during this crucial period in Lake Titicaca Basin's prehistory. El período Formativo tardío precede inmediatamente a la emergencia de Tiwanaku, uno de los estados más antiguos de Sudamé-rica, sin embargo, es una de las épocas menos comprendidas de la cuenca sur del Lago Titicaca (Bolivia). En este trabajo refinamos la cronología cerámica de este período con amplios conjuntos de fechados de ocho sitios y nos enfocamos en los puntos de inflexión temporales de los estilos de cerámica decorada. Estos puntos, estimados con modelos de Bayes, marcan momentos de cambio espe-cíficos: (1) 120 cal dC (60-170, 95% probabilidad): primera deposición de estilos Kalasasaya de borde rojo e inciso sectorizado; (2) 240 cal dC (190-340, 95% probabilidad): una estimación tentativa de la deposición final de vasijas de Kalasasaya inciso sector-izado; (3) 420 cal dC (380-470, 95% probabilidad): deposición final de vasijas de Kalasasaya de borde rojo; y (4) 590 cal DC (500-660, 95% probabilidad): primera deposición de los "redwares" tiwanacotos. Estos cuatro límites modelados anclan una cronología actualizada del Formativo tardío que incluye la fase del Formativo tardío inicial, un hiato decorativo identificado recientemente entre los períodos del Formativo medio y tardío. Estos modelos ubican a Qeya y a las vasijas transicionales entre los puntos de inflexión 3 y 4 a partir de secuencias estratigráficas consistentes regionalmente. Esta cronología más precisa permitirá a los inves-tigadores explorar las trayectorias de otros cambios contemporáneos durante este período crucial en la prehistoria de la cuenca del Lago Titicaca. Palabras clave: cuenca del Lago Titicaca, período Formativo Tardío, modelos bayesianos, secuencia de cerámica decorada, puntos de inflexión temporales
Bulletin of the History of Archaeology, 2019
Arthur Posnansky was the illustrious pioneer of Tiwanaku archaeology, remembered as a quixotic, f... more Arthur Posnansky was the illustrious pioneer of Tiwanaku archaeology, remembered as a quixotic, flamboyant, and swashbuckling character. He was a naval officer, a businessman, and a scholar. He dedicated nearly fifty years of his life to the study of the Andean past, which resonates through the history of Bolivian archaeology. While clearly not the field’s father, his commanding presence and outsized legacy could make him the czar of Tiwanaku archaeology. He developed a hyperbolic narrative of Tiwanaku as the ’cradle of American man’ and tirelessly promoted it in Europe and the Americas. Like many pioneers, he was not trained as an archaeologist. His theories were based on little concrete information but he defended them with enviable passion. His ideas were strongly influenced by intellectual trends he lived though and participated in, including racist anthropology. This has led some to dismiss him as a misguided, self-appointed champion of Tiwanaku. However, I suggest that Posnansky’s life and times are very relevant to both understanding popular views and scholarly interpretations of the site.
In the southern Andes, Holocene climate records show drastic changes in moisture during the early... more In the southern Andes, Holocene climate records show drastic changes in moisture during the early and middle Holocene. To generate a more refined chronology of climate changes in this region, we present a Bayesian model that combines published cosmogenic dates from the Encierro Valley (29.1 S) and radiocarbon dates on peat and soils from the western slope of the Andes (27e33 S). We compare this to a similar model from the high-altitude archaeological site ARQ-18 in the Las Taguas Valley (29.5 S), San Juan, Argentina. These chronologies indicate synchronous changes in climate and occupational intensity, which shed light on hunter-gatherer mobility decisions. This site was first occupied in the early Holo-cene, when nearby valleys were deglaciated by around 10,700 cal BP. ARQ-18 was occupied a few centuries later around 10,100 cal BP. The site was first colonized during a regional wet phase, probably by hunters from the highlands to north who moved quickly among humid high-altitude valleys. As regional moisture began dropping around 8700e7800 cal BP, occupational intensity at ARQ-18 reached a maximum as diverse groups gathered in the valley. At this point, an important environmental threshold was crossed as groups reversed their mobility patterns and decisions and did not occupy the site for 1700 years. This " archaeological silence " correlates closely with the middle Holocene's hyperaridity during 7800e5700 cal BP. As soon as humidity returned, groups began visiting the site again. From this point on, strategies increasingly incorporated herding in response to less stable environmental conditions.
San Ignacio, en el Valle de Potrerillos, fue habitado durante los siglos III-VIII D.C. por grupos... more San Ignacio, en el Valle de Potrerillos, fue habitado durante los siglos III-VIII D.C. por grupos humanos que construyeron
hornillos y ocuparon casas semi-subterráneas. Constituye uno de los escasos registros sistemáticos de contextos
domésticos para el valle. Se presenta y caracteriza el sitio mediante el análisis osteométrico de camélidos, la
organización de la tecnología lítica y el análisis tipológico y morfo-funcional cerámico. Las diversas actividades
domésticas desarrolladas combinaron la explotación de camélidos silvestres y domésticos, además de cultígenos.
Los rasgos arquitectónicos y los patrones materiales del interior de la unidad habitacional, se relacionan con
una ocupación anticipada de tipo permanente. La cerámica analizada fue asignada al estilo Agrelo-Calingasta
del período Agro-alfarero Temprano-Medio de la arqueología regional. El asentamiento podría insertarse en un
circuito de movilidad para el aprovechamiento de diversos recursos en ambientes de altura. Además se sugiere
la participación en redes de intercambio, evidenciada por la presencia de cerámica similar a la de los complejos
culturales que se desarrollaron en la vertiente occidental de Los Andes y por la identificación de un morfotipo de
camélido especialmente grande, propicio para la realización de caravanas.
San Ignacio, in the Valley of Portrerillos was occupied during the third to eighth centuries A.D. by groups that
constructed pit ovens and occupied semi-subterranean houses. It is one of the few systematically recorded domestic
contexts in the valley. The site is presented and characterized through the osteometric analysis of camelids, the
organization of lithic technology, and typological and morphofunctional analyses of ceramics. Diverse domestic
activities combined the exploitation of wild and domestic camelids, as well as cultigens. Architectural features and
material patterns from the interior of the habitation imply a permanent occupation. The analyzed ceramics were
associated with the style Agrelo-Calingasta from the regional Early-Middle Agro-ceramic period. The settlement may
be part of a mobility circuit for the utilization of diverse resources in high altitude zones. Moreover, participation
in exchange networks is suggested by the presence of ceramics similar to those used by cultural complexes on the
western slopes of the Andes and the identification of an especially large camelid morphotype, apt for carrying out
caravans.
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2013
Intersecciones en Antropología 15: 131-138. , Sep 1, 2014
La osteometría, sumada a distintos análisis estadísticos, se presenta como una alternativa válida... more La osteometría, sumada a distintos análisis estadísticos, se presenta como una alternativa válida para la diferenciación interespecífica de camélidos sudamericanos. El presente trabajo pretende sintetizar los diferentes protocolos disponibles para la primera falange de camélidos, como así también realizar una comparación entre los mismos. Con ello se esperan esclarecer discordancias y equivalencias entre las guías, tendiente a mejorar el método, ofreciendo un análisis crítico de cómo se propusieron y cómo se emplean. Dado que ciertas variables propuestas, en los diferentes protocolos, pueden confundirse, el uso comparativo de los datos aportados por distintas investigaciones resultaría dificultoso y dudoso. Revertir esta situación puede derivar en un mayor y comunitario empleo de datos crudos de variables estandarizadas. Lo cual resulta un modo simple y rápido de acrecentar la información métrica de huesos postcraneales de camélidos en los Andes. De este modo, la aplicación de estos estudios cuantitativos logrará interpretaciones más confiables, al considerar la variabilidad de especies y morfotipos de camélidos actuales y potencialmente presente en contextos arqueológicos.
Osteometry, combined with different statistical analysis, is an effective means of differentiating South American camelid species. This paper synthesizes and compares different measurement protocols for the first phalange. We aim to clarify discrepant and equivalent measurements from different protocols, with the aim of improving the methodology. With common confusion between measurements, comparisons between published data by different investigations remain difficult and tenuous. Correcting this situation may lead to more widespread and communal use of raw data based on standardized measurements. This is a simple and straightforward means of making better use of the few postcranial metric data available for camelids in the Andes. It should lead to osteometric studies with more reliable interpretations, which may begin to take into account the variability of modern camelid species and morphotypes, as well as those potentially present in archaeological contexts.
Revista del Museo de Antropología 4: 145-160, Córdoba, Argentina. , 2011
San Ignacio, en el Valle de Potrerillos, fue habitado durante los siglos III-VIII D.C. por grupos... more San Ignacio, en el Valle de Potrerillos, fue habitado durante los siglos III-VIII D.C. por grupos humanos que construyeron hornillos y ocuparon casas semi-subterráneas. Constituye uno de los escasos registros sistemáticos de contextos domésticos para el valle. Se presenta y caracteriza el sitio mediante el análisis osteométrico de camélidos, la organización de la tecnología lítica y el análisis tipológico y morfo-funcional cerámico. Las diversas actividades domésticas desarrolladas combinaron la explotación de camélidos silvestres y domésticos, además de cultígenos. Los rasgos arquitectónicos y los patrones materiales del interior de la unidad habitacional, se relacionan con una ocupación anticipada de tipo permanente. La cerámica analizada fue asignada al estilo Agrelo-Calingasta del período Agro-alfarero Temprano-Medio de la arqueología regional. El asentamiento podría insertarse en un circuito de movilidad para el aprovechamiento de diversos recursos en ambientes de altura. Además se sugiere la participación en redes de intercambio, evidenciada por la presencia de cerámica similar a la de los complejos culturales que se desarrollaron en la vertiente occidental de Los Andes y por la identificación de un morfotipo de camélido especialmente grande, propicio para la realización de caravanas.
Objectives: The goal of this article is to assess the scale of human paleomobility and ecological... more Objectives: The goal of this article is to assess the scale of human paleomobility and ecological complementarity between the lowlands and highlands in the southern Andes during the last 2,300 years. By providing isotope results for human bone and teeth samples, we assess a hypothesis of " high residential mobility " suggested on the basis of oxygen isotopes from human remains. Methods: We develop an isotopic assessment of human mobility in a mountain landscape combining strontium and oxygen isotopes. We analyze bone and teeth samples as an approach to life-history changes in spatial residence. Human samples from the main geological units and periods within the last two millennia are selected. Results: We present a framework for the analysis of bioavailable strontium based on the combination of the geological data with isotope results for rodent samples. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values from human samples indicate residential stability within geological regions along life history. When comparing strontium and oxygen values for the same human samples, we record a divergent pattern: while d 18 O values for samples from distant regions overlap widely, there are important differences in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values. Conclusions: Despite the large socioeconomic changes recorded, 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values indicate a persisting scenario of low systematic mobility between the different geological regions. Our results suggest that strontium isotope values provide the most germane means to track patterns of human occupation of distinct regions in complex geological landscapes, offering a much higher spatial resolution than oxygen isotopes in the southern Andes.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 2017
Objectives: The goal of this paper is to assess the scale of human paleomobility and ecological c... more Objectives: The goal of this paper is to assess the scale of human paleomobility and ecological complementarity between the lowlands and highlands in the southern Andes during the last 2300 years. By providing isotope results for human bone and teeth samples, we assess a hypothesis of ‘high residential mobility’ suggested on the basis of oxygen isotopes from human remains.
Methods: We develop an isotopic assessment of human mobility in a mountain landscape combining strontium and oxygen isotopes. We analyze bone and teeth samples as an approach to life-history changes in spatial residence. Human samples from the main geological units and periods within the last two millennia are selected.
Results: We present a framework for the analysis of bioavailable strontium based on the combination of the geological data with isotope results for rodent samples. The 87Sr/86Sr values from human samples indicate residential stability within geological regions along life history. When comparing strontium and oxygen values for the same human samples, we record a divergent pattern: while δ18O values for samples from distant regions overlap widely, there are important differences in 87Sr/86Sr values.
Conclusions: Despite the large socio-economic changes recorded, 87Sr/86Sr values indicate a persisting scenario of low systematic mobility between the different geological regions. Our results suggest that strontium isotope values provide the most germane means to track patterns of human occupation of distinct regions in complex geological landscapes, offering a much higher spatial resolution than oxygen isotopes in the southern Andes.
Relaciones de la Sociedad Argentina de Antropología, 2018
Se ha realizado una investigación interdisciplinaria sobre los restos óseos humanos y acompañamie... more Se ha realizado una investigación interdisciplinaria sobre los restos óseos humanos y acompañamientos funerarios procedentes del enterratorio Barrio Ramos I localizado en el valle de Uspallata (Mendoza, Argentina). Se rebate la asignación al Período Agroalfarero Tardío que se ha hecho de este sitio. Un estudio bayesiano de los fechados obtenidos y su comparación con otro similar de sitios incaicos de la región permiten ubicar a Barrio Ramos I dentro del período de dominación incaica y retrotraer su inicio casi un siglo. El análisis de los diseños de artefactos líticos, cerámicos y óseos que acompañan a los entierros y otras características contextuales afirman esta propuesta. A través de estudios isotópicos y bioarqueológicos, se ofrece también información novedosa sobre aspectos del modo de vida y procedencia de algunos de los individuos hallados.
The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology , 2018
This paper evaluates chronological trends in the presence and absence of domestic animal bone (sh... more This paper evaluates chronological trends in the presence and absence of domestic animal bone (sheep, goat, and cattle) and pottery in Namaqualand, the proposed gateway to the rest of South Africa for early herders or hunter-gatherers with sheep and ceramics. We update date calibrations with local dR corrections and mixtures of recent calibration curves and include five previously unpublished dates. We use histograms of calibrated medians, sorted in 100-year bins, to assess sustained regional patterns with dates associated with domestic animal bone and pottery (n = 73). While too small to be useful as a population proxy, the current set of dates does reveal three pulses of occupation separated by two clear gaps, which we evaluate with a Bayesian model of three sequential phases. The model’s boundaries are used as estimates of the dates of Early (AD 80–210), Middle (AD 490–790), and Late (AD 1180–1690) occupational phases sep- arated by two substantial lapses of 280 and 380 years, respectively. The alternating phases of presence and absence are suggestively correlated with climate shifts, leading to a discussion of the idea that effective moisture was a crucial factor in choosing whether to occupy Namaqualand. The set of archaeological dates has greater temporal and spatial resolution than many regional climate data, so we suggest that these trends may more accurately reflect the variable conditions specific to Namaqualand, at least until they are refined by future climate research.
Radiocarbon, 2018
Because the 14 C calibration curves IntCal and SHCal are based on data from temperate latitudes, ... more Because the 14 C calibration curves IntCal and SHCal are based on data from temperate latitudes, it remains unclear which curve is more suitable for archaeological and paleoenvironmental records from tropical South America. A review of climate dynamics reveals a significant influx of Northern Hemisphere air masses and moisture over a substantial part of the continent during the South American Summer Monsoon (SASM). Areas affected by the SASM receive unknown amounts of input from both hemispheres, where an argument could be made for either curve. Until localized tree-ring data can resolve this, we suggest using a mixed calibration curve, which accounts for inputs from both hemispheres, as a third calibration option. We present a calibration example from a crucial period of environmental and cultural change in the southern Lake Titicaca. Given our current lack of data on past Δ 14 C variation in South America, our calibrations and chronologies will likely change in the future. We hope this paper spurs new research into this topic and encourages researchers to make an informed and explicit choice of which curve to use, which is particularly relevant in research on past human–environmental relationships. KEYWORDS: 14 C calibration curves, hemispheric variation in atmospheric 14 C, Intertropical Convergence Zone, mixed curve calibration, South American Summer Monsoon.
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Journal Articles by Erik Marsh
https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1iGED3ic-FXsRj
hornillos y ocuparon casas semi-subterráneas. Constituye uno de los escasos registros sistemáticos de contextos
domésticos para el valle. Se presenta y caracteriza el sitio mediante el análisis osteométrico de camélidos, la
organización de la tecnología lítica y el análisis tipológico y morfo-funcional cerámico. Las diversas actividades
domésticas desarrolladas combinaron la explotación de camélidos silvestres y domésticos, además de cultígenos.
Los rasgos arquitectónicos y los patrones materiales del interior de la unidad habitacional, se relacionan con
una ocupación anticipada de tipo permanente. La cerámica analizada fue asignada al estilo Agrelo-Calingasta
del período Agro-alfarero Temprano-Medio de la arqueología regional. El asentamiento podría insertarse en un
circuito de movilidad para el aprovechamiento de diversos recursos en ambientes de altura. Además se sugiere
la participación en redes de intercambio, evidenciada por la presencia de cerámica similar a la de los complejos
culturales que se desarrollaron en la vertiente occidental de Los Andes y por la identificación de un morfotipo de
camélido especialmente grande, propicio para la realización de caravanas.
San Ignacio, in the Valley of Portrerillos was occupied during the third to eighth centuries A.D. by groups that
constructed pit ovens and occupied semi-subterranean houses. It is one of the few systematically recorded domestic
contexts in the valley. The site is presented and characterized through the osteometric analysis of camelids, the
organization of lithic technology, and typological and morphofunctional analyses of ceramics. Diverse domestic
activities combined the exploitation of wild and domestic camelids, as well as cultigens. Architectural features and
material patterns from the interior of the habitation imply a permanent occupation. The analyzed ceramics were
associated with the style Agrelo-Calingasta from the regional Early-Middle Agro-ceramic period. The settlement may
be part of a mobility circuit for the utilization of diverse resources in high altitude zones. Moreover, participation
in exchange networks is suggested by the presence of ceramics similar to those used by cultural complexes on the
western slopes of the Andes and the identification of an especially large camelid morphotype, apt for carrying out
caravans.
Osteometry, combined with different statistical analysis, is an effective means of differentiating South American camelid species. This paper synthesizes and compares different measurement protocols for the first phalange. We aim to clarify discrepant and equivalent measurements from different protocols, with the aim of improving the methodology. With common confusion between measurements, comparisons between published data by different investigations remain difficult and tenuous. Correcting this situation may lead to more widespread and communal use of raw data based on standardized measurements. This is a simple and straightforward means of making better use of the few postcranial metric data available for camelids in the Andes. It should lead to osteometric studies with more reliable interpretations, which may begin to take into account the variability of modern camelid species and morphotypes, as well as those potentially present in archaeological contexts.
Methods: We develop an isotopic assessment of human mobility in a mountain landscape combining strontium and oxygen isotopes. We analyze bone and teeth samples as an approach to life-history changes in spatial residence. Human samples from the main geological units and periods within the last two millennia are selected.
Results: We present a framework for the analysis of bioavailable strontium based on the combination of the geological data with isotope results for rodent samples. The 87Sr/86Sr values from human samples indicate residential stability within geological regions along life history. When comparing strontium and oxygen values for the same human samples, we record a divergent pattern: while δ18O values for samples from distant regions overlap widely, there are important differences in 87Sr/86Sr values.
Conclusions: Despite the large socio-economic changes recorded, 87Sr/86Sr values indicate a persisting scenario of low systematic mobility between the different geological regions. Our results suggest that strontium isotope values provide the most germane means to track patterns of human occupation of distinct regions in complex geological landscapes, offering a much higher spatial resolution than oxygen isotopes in the southern Andes.
https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1iGED3ic-FXsRj
hornillos y ocuparon casas semi-subterráneas. Constituye uno de los escasos registros sistemáticos de contextos
domésticos para el valle. Se presenta y caracteriza el sitio mediante el análisis osteométrico de camélidos, la
organización de la tecnología lítica y el análisis tipológico y morfo-funcional cerámico. Las diversas actividades
domésticas desarrolladas combinaron la explotación de camélidos silvestres y domésticos, además de cultígenos.
Los rasgos arquitectónicos y los patrones materiales del interior de la unidad habitacional, se relacionan con
una ocupación anticipada de tipo permanente. La cerámica analizada fue asignada al estilo Agrelo-Calingasta
del período Agro-alfarero Temprano-Medio de la arqueología regional. El asentamiento podría insertarse en un
circuito de movilidad para el aprovechamiento de diversos recursos en ambientes de altura. Además se sugiere
la participación en redes de intercambio, evidenciada por la presencia de cerámica similar a la de los complejos
culturales que se desarrollaron en la vertiente occidental de Los Andes y por la identificación de un morfotipo de
camélido especialmente grande, propicio para la realización de caravanas.
San Ignacio, in the Valley of Portrerillos was occupied during the third to eighth centuries A.D. by groups that
constructed pit ovens and occupied semi-subterranean houses. It is one of the few systematically recorded domestic
contexts in the valley. The site is presented and characterized through the osteometric analysis of camelids, the
organization of lithic technology, and typological and morphofunctional analyses of ceramics. Diverse domestic
activities combined the exploitation of wild and domestic camelids, as well as cultigens. Architectural features and
material patterns from the interior of the habitation imply a permanent occupation. The analyzed ceramics were
associated with the style Agrelo-Calingasta from the regional Early-Middle Agro-ceramic period. The settlement may
be part of a mobility circuit for the utilization of diverse resources in high altitude zones. Moreover, participation
in exchange networks is suggested by the presence of ceramics similar to those used by cultural complexes on the
western slopes of the Andes and the identification of an especially large camelid morphotype, apt for carrying out
caravans.
Osteometry, combined with different statistical analysis, is an effective means of differentiating South American camelid species. This paper synthesizes and compares different measurement protocols for the first phalange. We aim to clarify discrepant and equivalent measurements from different protocols, with the aim of improving the methodology. With common confusion between measurements, comparisons between published data by different investigations remain difficult and tenuous. Correcting this situation may lead to more widespread and communal use of raw data based on standardized measurements. This is a simple and straightforward means of making better use of the few postcranial metric data available for camelids in the Andes. It should lead to osteometric studies with more reliable interpretations, which may begin to take into account the variability of modern camelid species and morphotypes, as well as those potentially present in archaeological contexts.
Methods: We develop an isotopic assessment of human mobility in a mountain landscape combining strontium and oxygen isotopes. We analyze bone and teeth samples as an approach to life-history changes in spatial residence. Human samples from the main geological units and periods within the last two millennia are selected.
Results: We present a framework for the analysis of bioavailable strontium based on the combination of the geological data with isotope results for rodent samples. The 87Sr/86Sr values from human samples indicate residential stability within geological regions along life history. When comparing strontium and oxygen values for the same human samples, we record a divergent pattern: while δ18O values for samples from distant regions overlap widely, there are important differences in 87Sr/86Sr values.
Conclusions: Despite the large socio-economic changes recorded, 87Sr/86Sr values indicate a persisting scenario of low systematic mobility between the different geological regions. Our results suggest that strontium isotope values provide the most germane means to track patterns of human occupation of distinct regions in complex geological landscapes, offering a much higher spatial resolution than oxygen isotopes in the southern Andes.
a comparative baseline for the Andes, where regional variation may also be a factor in variable point sizes.
procedencia correspondientes a sitios del centro sur de Mendoza (34º-36ºS). Se ha propuesto que el ingreso del arco en el norte (32°) y centro de Mendoza se produjo ca.1300 años cal AP (Castro et al., 2021). Esta nueva tecnología fue adoptada rápidamente por grupos con economías diversificadas que habrían reemplazado la estólica y el dardo por el arco y la flecha. Al sur de los 34°, esta nueva tecnología fue incorporada -en un rango cronológico aún no especificado- por parte de grupos que mantuvieron su forma de vida principalmente en base a la caza. Se emplean (N=102) de puntas de proyectil de obsidiana con estudios geoquímicos, procedentes de cinco sitios arqueológicos: Laguna del Diamante, Cueva de Luna, Cañada de Cachi, Alero Puesto Carrasco y Caverna de las Brujas, con una cronología comprendida entre 3800-440 años cal AP. Se busca identificar el ingreso del arco y flecha en el sur de Mendoza y evaluar el uso diferencial de las fuentes regionales de obsidiana para la confección de estos proyectiles.
económica de las plantas. Presentamos las cualidades de las maderas
con las que se confeccionaron astiles e intermediarios con y sin
puntas enmangadas, procedentes de ocho sitios arqueológicos de los
Andes del Sur (24°-36°S). Los objetivos del trabajo son: 1– evaluar
los requerimientos técnicos derivados de las maderas utilizadas para la
confección de astiles simples y compuestos, 2– mapear la distribución
espacial de la oferta de maderas utilizadas y, 3– establecer diferencias
entre astiles de dardos y flechas.
and architecture, but paid less attention to rock art. The authors show maps
displaying the spatial distribution of Inca sites and rock art motifs assigned to the same period. Within the four regions, Inca-period motifs are diverse and include shields, knives, and anthropomorphic designs with ponchos. The authors assess diverse criteria used to assign these motifs to the Inca period and their stylistic
relationships to Inca ceramics, architecture, and ethnohistoric documents from other regions. There is a comparison of these rock art motifs and other closely
associated motifs. Maps rank the regions’ spatial density of sites and motifs as general indicators of the relative intensity of the influence of the Inca Empire. The paper suggests that inter-regional differences in rock art motifs reflect internal variability in Inca conquest strategies and local responses.
En esta presentación se describen los resultados preliminares de un trabajo de campo realizado en 2017, cuyo propósito fue evaluar el estado de conservación del sitio, el contexto más allá de los entierros y su lugar en el marco de la prehistoria regional. Se prospectaron las barrancas de la zona, registrándose en una de ellas restos óseos desarticulados. Sobre el terraplén superior a las barrancas, se identificaron productos de talla, fragmentos de cerámica y un instrumento de molienda, los que dan cuenta de actividades cotidianas. Una concentración inesperada de arbustos de algarrobo (Prosopis sp.) podría ser el resultado no intencional del procesamiento de esta planta. Además se realizó el registro sistemático de los petroglifos del sitio, contabilizándose las figuras grabadas -se destaca un mascariforme, motivo diagnóstico del arte rupestre de Cerro Tunduqueral en Uspallata y de Valle del Encanto en la costa pacífica-. Se propone reinterpretar el sitio como un lugar de diversas prácticas; además, se revisa la asignación cultural y cronológica, comparándose con otros contextos funerarios como Barrio Ramos I -ambos con fechas similares, cercanas a la llegada del imperio Inca en ~1400 dC (1380–1430, 68% de probabilidad).
Se indaga sobre las técnicas decorativas desarrolladas por los alfareros de El Manzano a través de comparaciones con (1) las técnicas decorativas identificadas en otro contexto similar (también una casa pozo de similar cronología) y (2) el estudio experimental acerca de los gestos e instrumentos que generaron las decoraciones incisas observadas en las superficies de los tiestos.
A través de estas dos comparaciones pretendemos aportar información para evaluar la existencia de una comunidad de alfareros que pudiera incluir a las poblaciones que habitaron ambos sitios y que se suponen formaron parte de un mismo estilo de distribución regional denominado “Agrelo”.
El presente trabajo desarrolla una experiencia de extensión vinculada a la arqueología, denominada Arqueología Pública. Ha sido abordada desde el marco conceptual de la sociología, apunta a que el proyecto científico genere una propuesta en conjunto con la comunidad. Basado en concientizar el valor y la importancia de los bienes patrimoniales arqueológicos y culturales, remarcando su uso como recurso cultural y económico, que posibilita un nuevo paradigma de desarrollo local.
Las prácticas de extensión científicas otorgan a las ciencias, como la arqueología y la sociología, una perspectiva diferente, funcionando como nexos entre las distintas partes de la sociedad y el ámbito científico.
En el caso particular de la arqueología el hecho de que la comunidad participe en las prácticas de rescate genera nuevas instancias de conocimiento haciendo tangible el reconocimiento de “su pasado”, acercándolo a su historia y revalorizando su cultura e
identidad, generando un proceso de apropiación, que muchas veces por desconocimiento es negado, desvalorizado, descuidado u olvidado. A su vez se produce una retroalimentación hacia las ciencias, desestructura los prejuicios en torno al saber, visibilizando lo local como parte del proceso científico, ello genera nuevos replanteos y desafíos al interior de los equipos de investigación ampliando y mejorando la disciplina.
Por otra parte el trabajo multidisciplinario favorece a que el proyecto de extensión se pueda abordar desde un marco holístico, permitiendo una reconstrucción integral del mismo.
1 sigma) y el último a ~970 ap (1010-920, 1 sigma). Dicho rango coincide con la ocupación de tres sitios del fondo del valle, San Ignacio, Terraza Gendarmería y Río Blanco, calculada mediante 10 fechados: entre ~1540 ap (1590-1430, 1 sigma) y ~1020 ap (1080-950, 1 sigma). Los modelos de Bayes toman en cuenta la secuencia estratigráfica de las muestras; de esa forma se aproxima al rango de cada fechado con más precisión. Además, se puede estimar el rango temporal de otros niveles y eventos temporales carentes de fechados. Esta clase de modelos ofrece cronologías más refinadas para el material asociado con cada contexto, sitios y el valle, con lo cual se pueden mejorar las comparaciones con otros datos regionales y climáticos.
English. This chapter aims to refine the cultural chronology of Potrerillos Valley (Mendoza, Argentina) during the Middle and Late Holocene. Six sites are included with 19 radiocarbon dates, which are calibrated and modeled with Bayesian statistics, the first use of this technique in the region. Seven dates are unpublished, two of which are direct dates on domestic plants. At the sites Los Conitos 01 and 02, the model estimates that sequence began around ~3620 ap (3810-3380, 1 sigma), the first level with domestic plants dates to ~1540 ap (1620-1420, 1 sigma), and the last one to, ~970 ap (1010- 920, 1 sigma). This range coincides with the occupation of three sites from the valley floor, San Ignacio, Terraza Gendarmería and Río Blanco, calculated with 10 radiocarbon dates to have begun ~1540 ap (1590-1430, 1 sigma) and ended ~1020 ap (1080-950, 1 sigma). The Bayesian models take into account the stratigraphic positions of the samples, which allows for more precise date ranges. Additionally, the temporal range of levels or events without dates can be estimated. These models provide more refined chronologies for the material associated with each context, site, and the valley, data with which better comparisons to other regional and climatic data can be made.
English. This chapter presents preliminary estimates of possibles
routes of circulation/contact that existed in the Upper Taguas River Valley (near the Chile-Argentine border) between 290 bc and ad 670. Utilizing a Geographic Information System, least cost path analysis is used to evaluate the integration of the Taguas Valley along routes that crossed the Andean cordillera, modeled with Tobler’s and Tripcevich’s curves. Based on the results, we propose that the two societies on different sides of the cordillera, the culture Punta del Barro in San Juan, and the El Molle cultural complex in the semiarid northern Chile, would have occupied the Las Taguas River Valley area. They may have generated strong economic and ideological ties, and in turn, significant influences on social and economic organization over time.
"
During the Late Formative, the southern Lake Titicaca Basin was dotted with ceremonial centers with earthen mounds, sunken temples, carved monoliths, and residences. These centers and their communities were larger and qualitatively different than anything prior, but little is known about their builders, residents, and visitors. Residents’ domestic practices at Khonkho Wankane and Kk’araña, Tiwanaku provide data on the social groups that formed the communities at each site. Residents shared many cultural practices and traditions. Walled compounds were home to large, powerful social groups. There is little evidence of status differences, trade specialization, or competition. The fundamental process to increasing complexity was organizing gatherings and work-parties, which framed dense networks of interactions. Residents hosted events in walled, outdoor spaces, and served food or drink in red-rimmed Kalasasaya small jars and bowls. The populations of these ceremonial centers was relatively low, and temporary visitors were recruited, generating labor forces that built many large construction projects. Interactions at these centers generated large communities focused at ceremonial centers, and were central to the emergence of the state at Tiwanaku. Despite this radical change in social organization, many domestic practices and traditions first established during the Late Formative would be continually reproduced for hundreds of years."
norte de la Akapana. Estructuras domesticas y la ocupación principal están asociadas con el periodo Formativo Tardío. Se describe las excavaciones de campo de una las ocupaciones más temprana del sitio.
lancolate points (early Holocene) and triangular points (middle–late Holocene).
conjunto de puntas de proyectil líticas de obsidiana con asignación de
procedencia correspondientes a sitios del centro sur de Mendoza (34º-36ºS).
ambientes andinos desde el lago Titicaca 16° S, hasta el norte de la Patagonia argentina 37°S, en un rango temporal entre ca. 3000 y 500 años
cal AP. Buscamos aportar a la construcción de un marco cronológico
del uso del arco y la flecha en los Andes Centro-Sur.