Chronological Investigations at Coastal Shell Mounds, Southeastern Brazil

Summary

Shell mounds (sambaquis) are a focus of scientific interest in Brazilian archaeology since the 1950´s and also for interdisciplinary approaches. Located along the Brazilian coast from north to south, they present geographical and chronological variabilities. This paper discusses the chronological aspects of large and small sized shell mounds located on the coast of São Paulo State, Southeastern Brazil. Radiocarbon dates suggest a long occupation of coastal hunter-gatherer-fisher groups spanning from 8,000 to 500 years BP. This culture collapsed after the arrival of inland ceramic groups. We will focus on the synthesis and analysis of the radiocarbon record, using a geo-referenced archaeological database of radiocarbon dates. The analysis of previous excavations and lab reports helped to understand the exact sample location, and the archaeological and paleoenvironmental contexts. The review and contextualization of the shell mounds chronology allowed the comparison with other Brazilian regions and the study of the occupation of coastal landscapes during the Holocene.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21848