Adding Fuel to the Fire: An Ethnoarchaeological study of Fire amongst the Asurini of Xingu, Brazilian Amazon

Summary

Research conducted in the Amazon point to the importance of anthropic fire in the history of people and the forest itself, being a common element in traditional agriculture and responsible for changes in ecosystems and soil productivity. Despite its importance, fire is not subject to systematic study in Amazonian archaeology. Few efforts are made in actively searching for evidences of its use in archaeological contexts, being such evidences documented opportunistically when casually observed during excavations. Furthermore, when dealt with, fire is treated from a strictly technical approach. Few interpretations are made on its possible roles in social relations, and little attention is given to the social processes behind the production and use of fire and the formation of its archaeological record. Through ethnoarchaeology amongst the Asurini of the Xingu River, Southern Amazon, this work will present technical and symbolical aspects on the use of fire, identifying and classifying the types of combustion structures and the employment of fire in different areas of activity, with the intention on creating models on how diverse types of fire produced by the Asurini may generate different features and distinct assemblages of remains.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

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