Residential occupations and human burials at Negro Muerto 3 site (Negro River Valley, Norpatagonia)

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the study of Negro Muerto 3, located in the northern sector of the middle basin of the Negro River (Río Negro province, Argentina). This site is located on the left bank of the Negro river valley, Northern Patagonia, Argentina. In the frame of preventive archaeology tasks, human remains (MNI=12), lithics, faunal remains, and pottery sherds were recovered. Based on the materials analysis a minimun of two residential occupations were defined (dated between ca. 900 and 1300 cal. years BP), and one occupation associated to mortuary practices (the only dated skeleton gave an age of ca. 950 cal. years BP). The main trends observed on the base of lithic technology analysis (production and use of expedient tools made on local raw material" por "use of expedient tools on local raw material), and faunal remains analysis (exploitation of low number of big and middle sized vertebrates, and exploitation of a high diversity of small sized riparian/aquatic fauna) are similar to those observed at other archaeological sites of the area. One of the highligts of this paper is the record of Zea mays in dental calculus, with a probable age of ca. 950 cal. years BP. The presence of this domestic species was interpreted as a result of its importation from Northwestern Patagonia, and not as a result of its local cultivation.