Travels and archaeology in South Chile (1988)

This is a remarkable book by one of the true geniuses in the field of anthropology during this century and one who provided valuable data for specialists in other disciplines as well.--H. M. WormingtonAn engaging manuscript that should charm a broad audience.--Thomas F. LynchThe field notes of Junius, and Peggy's diary, are valuable records of the excavations, artifacts, and interpretations of the best archaeologists to work in the southern tip of South America.--James G. GriffinJunius Bird's three great archaeological field achievements--at the Strait of Magellan in Chilean Patagonia, in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, and at the sites of early coastal dwellers in northern Peru--made his reputation as a New World prehistorian. His work in south Chile is especially important, since it established the great antiquity of human populations in South America. Until now, most of Bird's Chilean data remained unpublished, but this rich collection of field notebooks from his 1936 and 1937 excavations makes this primary information available for the first time.Included in this volume are new data from Bird's excavations at Palli Aike, Fell's Cave, and Caaadon Leona as well as Cerro Sota and Mylodon caves. Excerpts from his published articles plus contributions by Juliet Clutton-Brock and Vera Markgraf reinforce the book with major new information about these truly pioneering investigations. Complementing the technical data are excerpts from the field journal kept by Margaret (Peggy) Bird. Witty, charming, and personable, her writings convey the more human aspects of Bird's research while interpreting his theoretical ideas. Finally, the many photographs taken by the Birds add a striking visual dimension to this volume.The Birds' fieldwork took place under conditions, and with a spirit, vastly different from those of most researchers today. The texts and teamwork revealed in Travels and Archaeology in South Chilewill appeal to everyone concerned with the heavily debated question of earliest peopling in the Americas, with South American anthropology and archaeology, and with the days when archaeology truly meant exploration.TABLE OF CONTENTS1. Background and DepartureOverviewSouth Chile and the Canoe IndiansDaily Life Sailing the Channels2. Chronological Synthesis and DatingThe PeriodsThe Radiocarbon Dates3. Canadon LeonaGeneral DescriptionExcavation InformationThe ArtifactsFaunal RemainsPossible Age of DepositBurialsSummaryDaily Life4. Palli AikeGeneral DescriptionExcavation in Two PhasesExcavation InformationThe ArtifactsPossible Age of DepositFaunal RemainsHuman RemainsDaily Life5. Fell's CaveGeneral DescriptionExcavation Information, 1936-1937The ArtifactsFaunal RemainsDaily LifeExcavations by John Fell and the French MissionExcavations, 1969-1970The Carnivore Remains Excavated at Fell's Cave in 1970. By Juliet Clutton-BrockFell's Cave: 11,000 Years of Changes in Paleoenvironments, Fauna, and Human Occupation. By Vera Markgraf6. Cerro Sota CaveGeneral DescriptionExcavation InformationThe ArtifactsFaunal RemainsA Group BurialProbable Dating of the DepositDaily Life7. Mylodon CaveBackgroundStructure of the Floor DepositResults and ConclusionsHuman RemainsSloth SkinBroken or Cut BoneDomestication of the SlothSummary of EvidenceAge of RemainsTwo Additional Specimens