An experimental ethnoarchaeology and analytical approach to fire-related management strategies in a hunter-fisher-gatherer society from the southern tip of Tierra del Fuego (Argentina)

Albert Garcia-Piquer (1) , Joan-Miquel Lozano (1) , Ramiro Javier March (2) , Jordi Estevez-Escalera (1)

1 UAB - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
2 CReAAH - Centre de Recherche en Archéologie, Archéosciences, Histoire

This paper presents a synthetic overview of the results of a multidisciplinary approach -archaeological, experimental and ethnographic- that provides new insights into the fire-related management strategies (from firewood procurement to fire use and cleaning activities) adopted by Yamana groups. We bring to the fore the significance of recent results from a chemical, GC-MS and GC-C-IRMS analysis of combustion residues recovered fromTunel VII and Lanashuaia I, two shell-midden excavated in the framework of several Spanish-Argentinean, Experimental Ethnoarchaeology projects developed in Tierra del Fuego Island (Argentina). The molecular and fatty acids isotopic composition allow characterizing the different combustion structures from the perspective of intensity or food processing, informing also about post-depositional factors. Results allow for a critical evaluation of ethnographic sources and thus of direct observation.

Keywords: Residue analysis; Tierra del Fuego; Fatty acids; Isotope; Fire structures; Experimental approach; Ethnoarchaeology; Hunter-Gatherers

Domains: Humanities and Social Sciences; Archaeology and Prehistory

Albert Garcia-Piquer, Joan-Miquel Lozano, Ramiro Javier March, Jordi Estevez-Escalera. An experimental ethnoarchaeology and analytical approach to fire-related management strategies in a hunter-fisher-gatherer society from the southern tip of Tierra del Fuego (Argentina). Ethnoarchaeology, 2018, Ethnoarchaeology of fire and combustion residues: Current approaches, 10 (2), pp.121-140. ⟨10.1080/19442890.2018.1510609⟩. ⟨hal-01879980⟩