Traces on tropical tools; a functional study of preceramic sites in Colombia
Nieuwenhuis, C.J.
Citation
Nieuwenhuis, C. J. (2002, November 27). Traces on tropical tools; a functional study of preceramic
sites in Colombia. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/1887/13389
Version:
Corrected Publisher’s Version
License:
Licence agreement concerning inclusion of doctoral thesis in the Institutional
Repository of the University of Leiden
Downloaded from:
https://hdl.handle.net/1887/13389
Archaeological Studies Leiden University is published by the Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, The Netherlands
This paper originally appeared as a PhD thesis, Leiden University, 27 Nov. 2002
ISBN: 90-76368-09-0
© Copyright 2002, Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, The Netherlands
All correspondence should be addressed to: Secretary
ASLU, Faculty of Archaeology P.O. Box 9515
Archaeological Studies Leiden University
9
Traces on Tropical Tools
A functional study of chert artefacts from preceramic sites in Colombia
PROEFSCHRIFT
ter verkrijging van
de graad van Doctor aan de Universiteit Leiden,
op gezag van de Rector Magnificus Dr. D.D. Breimer,
hoogleraar in de faculteit der Wiskunde en Natuurwetenschappen
volgens het besluit van het College voor Promoties
te verdedigen op woensdag 27 november 2002
te klokke 14.15 uur
Channah José Nieuwenhuis
geboren te Arnhem in 1962
Promotiecommissie
Promotor: Prof. dr. L.P. Louwe Kooijmans
Copromotor: dr. A.L. van Gijn
Referent: R.L.K. Fullagar, PhD
Voor Eelco en Rita Voor Suzanne en Henriëtte Voor Ger
1. Introduction 11 1.1 Motivation 11 1.2 Research aims 11
2. Archaeological research in Colombia 15
2.1 General trends: historical review of archaeological research in Colombia 15 2.1.1 Period I 15
2.1.2 Period II 17 2.1.3 Period III 18 2.1.4 Period IV 19 2.1.5 Modern times 20
2.2 Lithic studies and the “Lithic period”: nomenclature 20 2.3 The Abrian artefacts 22
2.3.1 Typology 22 2.3.2 Raw material 23
3. The earliest inhabitants and their environment: context and the selected sample 25 3.1 Modern geography, climate and vegetation 25
3.1.1 Geography 25
3.1.2 Modern climate and vegetation 25 3.2 Palaeoenvironment 27
3.2.1 Palaeoenvironmental studies 27 3.2.2 The past 30.000 years 28
Susacá interstadial 28 Guantiva interstadial 28 El Abra stadial 29 Holocene 29
3.3 Archaeological data on the early preceramic period 29
3.3.1 First people in North and South America 29
3.3.2 Intermediate Area concept: the strategic location of Colombia 30 3.3.3 Colombia, theories before 1900 31
Palaeoindians 31
Tequendamian and Abrian artefact classes 32 New data 32
3.4 Selection of sites to be studied 33
4. Wear trace analysis, ethnography and the experimental program 35 4.1 Wear trace Analysis 35
4.1.1 Introduction 35 4.1.2 Pilot study 36
4.1.3 Materials and methods 36 Sampling 36
Micro- and macrowear analysis: methods 37 Residue analysis 38
7
4.2 Ethnography and the experimental program 39 4.2.1 Introduction 39
4.2.2 Sources of information 39 4.2.3 The experiments 40
Bone 40
Butchering (meat, hide, tendons and bone) 40 Fish 41 Hide 43 Turtle shell 44 Agave 44 Cassave 45 Gourd 45 Gramineae 45 Palm 46 Wood 48 Shell 48 4.2.4 Conclusion 49
5. Sites on the High Plain of Bogotá 51 5.1 Introduction: general data 51
5.1.1 Environment and stratigraphy 51 5.1.2 Palaeoenvironment 51 5.2 Tequendama 53 5.2.1 The site 53 Introduction 53 Stratigraphy 53 5.2.2 The sample 55
The artefacts and the corresponding zones 55 Types of artefacts 56
5.2.3 The results 57 General data 57 Worked materials 59 Correspondence to zones 65 Typo-morphology versus use 67 Concave edges and wood working 67 Trapeze flakes 67
Types and motion 68
Macroscopical phenomena versus use 68 5.2.4 Conclusions 70
5.3 Galindo 71
5.3.1 The site 71 Introduction 71
Technical analysis of the lithic artefacts 72 Stratigraphy 72
5.3.2 The sample 73
Correspondence to periods of occupation 73 Types of artefacts 73
5.3.3 The results 74 General data 74 Worked materials 75
Correspondence to occupation phases 78
Typo-morphology versus use 79 Trapeze flakes 79
Types and motion 79
Macroscopical phenomena versus use 79 5.3.4 Conclusions 80
5.4 Conclusions on the High Plain of Bogotá 81
6. Sites in the Middle Magdalena Valley 83 6.1 Introduction to the area: general data 83
6.1.1 Environment 83 Modern environment 83 Palaeoenvironment 83 6.2 Archaeological data 85
Research and sites 85 Sample 85 Typology 85 6.3 La Palestina 86 6.3.1 The site 86 6.3.2 The sample 86 6.3.3 The results 86 General data 86 Worked materials/activities 87 Typology and use 89
Macroscopical phenomena versus use 89 Refittable flakes 91 6.3.4 Conclusions 92 6.4 Puerto Nare T.46 92 6.4.1 The site 92 6.4.2 The sample 92 6.4.3 The results 92 General data 92 Worked materials/activities 92 Typology and use 93
Macroscopical phenomena versus use 96 6.4.4 Conclusions 96 6.5 Peñones de Bogotá 96 6.5.1 The site 96 6.5.2 The sample 97 6.5.3 The results 97 General data 97 Worked materials/activities 97 Typology and use 99
Macroscopical phenomena versus use 101 6.5.4 Conclusions 101 6.6 La Miel 101 6.6.1 The site 101 6.6.2 The sample 101 6.6.3 The results 102 General data 102 Worked materials/activities 102 Typology and contact material 103 6.6.4 Conclusions 103
6.7 Surface artefacts 104
6.8 Synthesis on the Magdalena Valley 105
7. Tooltypes and tool function: adjustments to the settlement history of the plain of Bogotá and the Magdalena Valley 107
7.1 Introduction 107
7.2 The typo-morphological classification of the Abrian class and the function of the implements 107 7.3 Abrian versus Tequendamian 109
7.4 Changing environment and subsistence: diachronic changes in tool use? 110 7.5 Subsistence on the High Plain of Bogotá and in the Magdalena Valley:
synchronic variations in subsistence strategies? 111
Notes 115
Literature 117
Appendix I: San Isidro 125
Appendix II: Codes, abbreviations and general tables 129
Acknowledgements 141
Samenvatting 143
Resumen 148
Curriculum 153
