Designing for conservation of insects in the built environment

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73772/1/j.1752-4598.2008.00024.x.pd

New Archaeological Evidence for an Early Human Presence at Monte Verde, Chile

<div><p>Questions surrounding the chronology, place, and character of the initial human colonization of the Americas are a long-standing focus of debate. Interdisciplinary debate continues over the timing of entry, the rapidity and direction of dispersion, the variety of human responses to diverse habitats, the criteria for evaluating the validity of early sites, and the differences and similarities between colonization in North and South America. Despite recent advances in our understanding of these issues, archaeology still faces challenges in defining interdisciplinary research problems, assessing the reliability of the data, and applying new interpretative models. As the debates and challenges continue, new studies take place and previous research reexamined. Here we discuss recent exploratory excavation at and interdisciplinary data from the Monte Verde area in Chile to further our understanding of the first peopling of the Americas. New evidence of stone artifacts, faunal remains, and burned areas suggests discrete horizons of ephemeral human activity in a sandur plain setting radiocarbon and luminescence dated between at least ~18,500 and 14,500 cal BP. Based on multiple lines of evidence, including sedimentary proxies and artifact analysis, we present the probable anthropogenic origins and wider implications of this evidence. In a non-glacial cold climate environment of the south-central Andes, which is challenging for human occupation and for the preservation of hunter-gatherer sites, these horizons provide insight into an earlier context of late Pleistocene human behavior in northern Patagonia.</p></div

Radiocarbon dates from archaeological horizons and non-archaeological layers in the MV-I and CH-I and CH-II sites^*.

<p>*all dates calibrated with CALIB v7.0 using the Southern Hemisphere calibration curve [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0141923#pone.0141923.ref038" target="_blank">38</a>,<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0141923#pone.0141923.ref039" target="_blank">39</a>].</p><p>^# This date is slightly deeper because it is from a unit farther downslope from other units.</p><p>^ ¹⁴C dates from non-cultural levels in stratum MV-7 in site MV-I.</p><p>Radiocarbon dates from archaeological horizons and non-archaeological layers in the MV-I and CH-I and CH-II sites^{<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0141923#t001fn001" target="_blank">*</a>}.</p

Basalt wedge showing seven facets on obverse face (one of which is cortex) and three on the reverse face.

<p>Arrows indicate inferred direction of force and point of impact of the blow that detached this piece.</p

Paijan-like projectile point of rhyolite recovered from a late Pleistocene level at the CH-I site (Unit 6, Level 51 cm; see S6a Fig).

<p>A drill fragment is from the same level (right side).</p

Map of the Monte Verde and Chinchihuapi sites showing the different site sectors, block excavation, test pits and cores carried out during the 2013 excavation season.

<p>Map of the Monte Verde and Chinchihuapi sites showing the different site sectors, block excavation, test pits and cores carried out during the 2013 excavation season.</p

Various cultural stone tools and manuports from the 2013 ¹⁴C dated archaeological horizons in sites MV-I and CH-1, classified by Collin’s typology of Groups (43).

<p>a: Group 23 manuport of a fractured pinkish quartzite probably derived from a beach of the Pacific Ocean; b. Group 5f pebble flake tool of basalt showing multiple percussion facets; c. Round Smooth possible sling stone of andesite, note the dull matte finish; d. Group 5f pebble flake tool of rhyolite (worked edge at the bottom, arrow shows percussion facet); e. two Group 5f knapped flakes of exotic, unsourced limestone raw material, note the striking platforms and bulb of percussions [arrow]; f. Group 5f pebble flake tool of basalt, note the striking platform and bulb of percussion at top [arrow]; g. Exotic discoid manuport of unknown raw material probably from a beach of the Pacific Ocean; h. Group 5f knapped core of andesite with multiple percussion flake scars; i. Group 5f flake tool of basalt, note the striking platform and bulb of percussion [arrow]; j. flake scatters of basalt produced by knapping; k. Group 5f flaked tool of basalt, note the striking platform [arrow] (see S1 and S2 Tables for more details and S7 Fig for drawings of selected lithics).</p

Serpentine pebble tool from Unit 17, MV-I, showing bifacially knapped and retouched edge. Serpentine is a raw material available in the coastal cordillera west of Monte Verde.

<p>Serpentine pebble tool from Unit 17, MV-I, showing bifacially knapped and retouched edge. Serpentine is a raw material available in the coastal cordillera west of Monte Verde.</p