EAA2021: Abstract

Shellmounds are anthropic intentional constructions produced by pre-Columbian fishing/gathering communities. In general, they are composed of a primary layer of mollusc carapaces, fish bones and, in some cases, human burials. This paper briefly reviews the literature on Marajo Island's landscape transformations, highlighting anthrosols formations following social changes during the mid-to-late Holocene. Our case study is the Tucumã shellmound located on western Marajó Island. The site has two occupation components comprising sequential formation of anthrosols: the shellmound layers buried under an Amazonian Dark Earth soil. These soils are addressed as ecological legacies resulting from a cumulative knowledge of the environment and related to social changes within the island. Our results reveal the impact on the vegetation composition and a shift in plant dietary preferences from the beginning to the end of the occupation. Changes from known domesticates such as maize (Zea mays) and squash (Cucurbita sp.) shifted to palms and cassava (Manihot sp.) at the upper layers.

Shellmounds, Plant management, Amazonian Archaeology, Phytoliths

 Abstract (PDF)

Lautaro Maximilian Hilbert¹

Daiana Travassos Alves²
José Iriarte³