Archaeological applications of micro vertebrate analysis: Reconstruction of natural and anthropic processes

Abstract

Microvertebrates recovered from archaeological and paleontologica! sites often provide paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental information as well as information on the relative chronology of associated stratigraphie sequences. In general, microvertebrate specimens serve as reliable index fossils since they are often closely linked to specific climatic and environmental conditions. The fact that many microvertebrates are frequent prey of a great variety of animals and have very specific habitats, often results in large accumulations of certain groups at very particular places, as is the case of caves and rockshelters. Actualistic as well as taphonomic studies carried out in sites where there are accumulations of small vertebrates allow us to identify the agents involved in the formation and subsequent modification of the faunal assemblages. In order to illustrate the archaeological applications of the recovery and analysis of microvertebrates, two Argentine case studies are presented in this paper: 1) the iguanid remains at an archaeological site located in the southern Puna of Catamarca province, which were interpreted as the result of a catastrophic death episode during a communal hibernation inside rodent burrows, and 2) the association of amphisbaenid remains inside a ceramic vessel recovered at an archaeological site located in the southern part of Salta province, which were interpreted as the result of intentional human action, with probable ritual-ceremonial purposes (e.g., an offering). This is followed by a comparison of both case studies, illustrating the value of archaeological sediment samples as a source of information for past human activities.