Extreme cultural persistence in eastern-central Brazil: the case of Lagoa Santa Paleaeoindians

ABSTRACT Lapa do Santo rockshelter, a Paleoindian site located in Eastern-Central Brazil, presented two main occupations; one during Early Holocene (12,460 to 8700 cal BP), and a latter in Middle Holocene (5100 to 4200 cal BP). In spite of this 3600 year gap, the stratigraphy and general characteristics of the material culture did not indicate any visible discontinuity. This led us to hypothesise a reoccupation of the rockshelter by the same cultural group, tested by means of statistical analyses comparing lithics, bone artifacts, and faunal remains from early and middle Holocene layers. No significant differences were found, and our results indicate the presence of a cultural tradition that persisted for 8240 years, or roughly 412 generations.

【摘要】圣多岩棚（Lapa do Santo rockshelter）是巴西中东部的一处古印第安遗址，存在两处主要的人类居住堆积阶段：一处为全新世早期（12460至8700校准年前（cal BP）），另一处为全新世中期（5100至4200校准年前（cal BP））。尽管存在3600年的年代间隔，但其地层序列与物质文化的总体特征并未显现出明显的文化间断。据此我们提出如下假说：该岩棚曾被同一文化群体重新占据，并通过对比全新世早、中期地层出土的石制品（lithics）、骨制遗物（bone artifacts）与动物遗存（faunal remains）的统计分析对该假说进行了验证。本研究未观测到显著差异，研究结果表明，当地存在一段延续8240年、约合412代人的文化传统。