The chronology of Lago do Iranduba and Laguinho sites under the hypotheses of human occupation for central Amazon

Author(s)

Marcio Walter de Moura Castro

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia (MAE)
• Defense date: 2009-09-18

Examining board members

Eduardo Goes Neves; Fabiola Andrea Silva

• Advisor: Eduardo Goes Neves

Abstract

This dissertation describes the two excavation seasons in 2006 and 2007, in Lago do Iranduba and Laguinho sites, both in Iranduba city, estate of Amazonas - Brazil; and presents the results and conclusions of this research. Since the first archaeological intervention, we have been trying to comprehend the patterns of use, occupation and abandon of the sites and to establish a chronology based on relative and absolute dates. The research developed by PAC (Central Amazon Project) in the region sites suggests a demographical apex in the pre-colonial occupations in central Amazon during the end of the first millennium AD. To confirm this climax in the occupations in Laguinho and Lago do Iranduba sites is the main goal of this research. To test this hypothesis, we investigate the data enclosed in the ceramics to diagnose it in accordance with the ceramic phases already established to the area. The features and the mounds were also considered correlated materials of these human occupations. We suggest in this dissertation a classification method for features that rely on its content, morphology and volume, and create a typology; we also calculate the volume of the larger mounds of Laguinho site to discuss its monumentality and develop simulations about human effort involved on its construction. In this research we identified two occupations in Lago do Iranduba site, related to Paredão and Guarita phases. In Laguinho site three different occupations were identified, related to Açutuba, Paredão and Guarita phases. Through the absolute and relative dates and the interpretation of the archaeological record we confirm the hypothesis of demographic apogee occurring in the en of the first millennium in central Amazon, by groups that manufactured the ceramics classified as Paredão phase. The same human occupation is responsible for the major changes in the landscape, represented on the building of the large mounds and most of the features. (AU)