Lithic technology of an Itaparica industry archaeological site: the Gruta das Araras rockshelter, Midwest of Brazil

  • João Carlos Moreno de Sousa Rio de Janeiro Federal University
Keywords: Brazilian archaeology, Itaparica tradition, Lithic Technology, Pleistocene-Holocene Transition.

Abstract


The Itaparica tradition is a lithic industry largely known with evidences of its presence in sites all over Brazil’s Central Plateau. Its main characteristic is the overwhelming presence of unifacially retouched artifacts (limaces) in these sites during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition and Early Holocene. Previous researches confirm the technological similarity of the limaces between some of these sites. This paper presents a technological analysis of the flaking residues of one of these sites: The Grutas das Araras Rockshelter, in which the oldest levels were interpreted as a lithic workshop.

Author Biography

João Carlos Moreno de Sousa, Rio de Janeiro Federal University
PhD student at the National Museum.

References

Araujo, A. G. 2015, On Vastness and Variability: Cultural Transmission, Historicity, and the Paleoindian Record in Eastern South America. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 87(2): 1239-1258. doi:10.1590/0001-3765201520140219
Araujo, A. G., Neves, W. A., & Kipnis, R. 2012, Lagoa Santa Revisited: An Overview of the Chronology, Subsistence, and Material Culture of Paleoindian Sites in Eastern Central Brazil. Latin America Antiquity, 23(4): 533–550. doi:10.7183/1045-6635.23.4.533
Boëda, E. 1997, Technogenèse de Systèmes de Production Lithique au Paléolithique Inférieur et Moyen e Europe Occidentale et au Proche-Orient. PhD Dissertation. Université de Paris-X-Nanterre, Paris. 173 p. (in French) (“Technogenesis of Lithic Produciton Systems at Lower and Medium Paleolithic in Western Europe and in Near East”)
Calderon, V. 1973, A Pesquisa Arqueológica Nos Estados da Bahia e Rio Grande do Norte. Dédalo, 9(17-18): 25-32. (in Portuguese) (“The archaeological research in Bahia and Rio Grande do Norte states”)
Danzeglocke, U., Jöris, O. & Weninger, B. 2007, CalPal Online. Retrieved January 2014. URL: http://www.calpal-online.de/
Dauvois, M. 1976, Precis de Dessin Dynamique et Structural des Industries Lithiques Préhistoriques. Fanlac: Périgueux. 263 p. (in French) (“Dynamic and Structural Drawing precise of Prehistoric Lithic Industries”)
Fogaça, E. 2001, Mãos para o pensamento. A variabilidade tecnológica de indútrias líticas de caçadores-colectores holocênicos a partir de um estudo de caso : as camadas VIII e VII da Lapa do Boquete (Minas Gerais, Brasil) – 12.000 / 10.500 B.P. PhD dissertation. Porto Alegre: Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul. 642 p. (in Portuguese) (“Hands for thought. Holocene hunther-gatherers technological variability from a study case: Levels VIII and VII from Lapa do Boquete rockshelter (Minas Gerais, Brazil) – 12.000 / 10.500 B.P.”)
Fogaça, E. 2003, Instrumentos líticos unifaciais da transição Pleistoceno-Holoceno no Planalto Central do Brasil: individualidade e especificidade dos objetos técnicos. Canindé, 3: 9-35. (in Portuguese) (“Unifacial lithic tools from Pleistocene-Holocene Transition in Brazil Central Plateau: Technic objects individuality and specifity”)
Fogaça, E., & Boëda, E. 2006, A Antropologia das Técnicas e o Povoamento da América do Sul Pré-Histórica. Habitus, 4(2): 673-684. (in Portuguese) (“The anthropology of techniques and prehistoric population of South America”) URL: http://seer.ucg.br/index.php/habitus/article/view/196
Fogaça, E., & Lourdeau, A. 2008, Uma abordagem tecno-funcional e evolutiva dos instrumentos plano-convexos. FUMDHAMentos, 7: 260-347. (in Portuguese) (“A technofunctional an evolutive approach of plan-convex tools”)
Inizan, M.-L., Reduron-Ballinger, M., Roche, H., & Tixier, J. 1995, Technologie de la Pierre Taillé.CREP, Paris. 122 p. (in French) (“Flaked stone technology”)
Leroi-Gourhan, A. 2002, O Gesto e A Palavra, 2 - Memória e Ritmos. (Portuguese ed.) Lisboa: Edições 70. 245 p. (in Portuguese) (“The gesture and the word, 2 – memory and rhytms”)
Lourdeau, A. 2010, Le Technocomplexe Itaparica. Définition Techno-Fonctionelle des Industries à Pièces Façonnées Unifacialement à une Face Plane dans le Centre et le Nord-Est du Brésil Pendant la Transition Pléistocène-Holocène et l'Holocène Ancien. Paris: Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Defense. 477 p. (in French) (“The Itaparica technocomplex. Technofunctional definition of the one opposite plan face unifacial reduction pieces in Center and Northeastern Brazil during Pleistocene-Holocene transition and Early Holocene”)
Lourdeau, A. 2012, The Itaparica Technocomplex: The First Conspicuous Settlement of Central and Northeastern Brazil from a Technological Perspective. In Southbound: Late Pleistocene peopling of Latin America (Miotti L.L., Salemme M., Flegenheimer N., & Goebel T. Eds.), College Station, Texas: p. 53-56
Mauss, M. 2003, Sociologia e Antropologia. (Brazilian ed.) São Paulo: Cosac Naifyi. 536 p. (in Portuguese) (“Sociology and Anthropology”)
Pelegrin, J. 1997, Les Techniques de Débitage Laminaire au Tardiglaciaire: Critères de Diagnose et Quelques Réflexions. In: Table-ronde de Nemours - L'Europe Centrale et Septentrionale au Tardiglaciaire. Paris: Mémoires du Musée de Préhistoire d'lle de France. p. 73-86. (in French) (The laminar core-flaking techniques at Tardiglaciaire: Diagnosis criteria and some reflections”)
Piel-Desruisseaux, J. L. 1989, Instrumental pré-histórico. Forma, Fabricación, Utilización.Masson, Barcelona, 279 p. (in Spanish) (“Prehistoric instrumental. Form, fabrication, utilization”)
Rigaud, A. 1977, Analyses Tipologique ét Technologique des Grattoirs Magdaleniéns de la Garenne à Saint Marcel (Indre). Gallia Préhistoire, p. 01-43. (in French) (“Typological na technological analysis of Magdalenian caves from Garenn to Saint Marcel (Indre)”) doi:10.3406/galip.1977.1547
Roche, H., & Tixier, J. 1984, Tecnologia Lítica: A Questão dos Acidentes de Lascamento. Revista de Pré-história, USP, VI. 256-257 (in Portuguese) (“Lithic technology: The flaking accidents question”)
Rodet, M. J., Duarte-Talim, D., & Barri, F. 2011, Reflexões sobre as primeiras populações do Brasil Central: "Tradição Itaparica". Habitus, 9(1): 81-100. (in Portuguese) (Reflections on the first Central Brazil populations: ‘Itaparica tradition’”) URL: http://seer.ucg.br/index.php/habitus/article/view/2211/0
Schmitz, P. I. 1980, A Evolução da Cultura no Sudoeste Goiano. Pesquisas - Antropologia, 31: 185-225. (in Portuguese) (“The evolution of culture in southwestern Goiás state”)
Schmitz, P. I., Barbosa, A. S., Jacobus, A. L., & Ribeiro, M. B. 1989, Arqueologia nos Cerrados do Brasil Central: Serranópolis I. Pesquisas - Antropologia, 44. p. 208. (in Portuguese) (“Archaeology in Brazil Central cerrados: Serranópolis I”)
Schmitz, P. I., Rosa, A. O., & Bitencourt, A. L. 2004, Arqueologia nos Cerrados do Brasil Central. SERRANÓPOLIS III. Pesquisas - Antropologia, 60. p. 1-286. (in Portuguese) (“Archaeology in cerrados of Central Brazil: Serranópolis III”)
Tixier, J. 2012, A Method for the Study of Stone Tools - Méthode pous l'Étude des Outillages Lithiques. Luxemburgo: CNRA-MNHA. 195.
Vaughan, P. 1983, La Fonction des Outils Préhistoriques. La Recherche, p. 1226-1234. (in French) (“The prehistoric tools function”)
White, J. P., & Thomas, D. H. 1972, What Mean These Stones? Ethno-Taxonomic Models and Archaeological Interpretations in the New Guinea Highlands. In: Models in Archaeology. (Clarke, D.L. Ed.), Methuen, London, p. 275-308.
Published
15-Mar-2016
How to Cite
Moreno de Sousa, J. (2016). Lithic technology of an Itaparica industry archaeological site: the Gruta das Araras rockshelter, Midwest of Brazil. Journal of Lithic Studies, 3(1), 87-106. https://doi.org/10.2218/jls.v3i1.1298
Section
Research Articles