Taphonomic experiments in burial contexts in the Amazon

Abstract

Since the beginning of studies on the formation of the archaeological record, tools have been sought to access the deposition and transformation processes of these locations over time. Experimentation with the purpose of reproducing archaeological contexts, although widely used in some regions, has still been little explored in Amazonian contexts, which have specific taphonomic processes. This work aims, through experimentation, to test some of the variables established in temperate regions for movement and preservation of bony material, seeking to understand both their validity for the Amazon and the specific dynamics of micro-contexts. Chickens and accompanying materials were used to structure the tests, which were buried and left on the surface. The results point to known extrinsic factors, such as the presence of plant roots, direct contact or not with the soil and others, but whose dynamics in the Amazonian context seem amplified. In the end we propose how the observations obtained can be significant for the Amazonian archaeology as a whole.

Keywords
Experimentation; Amazonian context; Taphonomy