Many Rocks, Many Functions? Investigating Stone Raw Material Selection, Use and its Socio-Economic Implications for Southern Jê prehistory in South Brazil.

Abstract

This research aimed to understand the diversity of lithic raw materials and their use by Southern Jê people in the highlands of South Brazil during pre-colonial times. To accomplish this, it employed a critical multi-scale approach that included: landscape and geology surveys (fieldwalking and cartography), lithic assemblage analysis from three selected Southern Jê sites on the Forqueta river valley (state of Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil), historically informed experiments, and use-wear analysis. Through landscape and geology survey, it was able to identify lithic raw material sources and more accurately revise the current classification of raw materials, whose misidentifications have been a recurrent issue in the regional archaeology. The archaeological assemblage analysis contributed to the technological characterisation of the lithic industry and informed the production of the experimental tools. The historically informed experiments and the use-wear analysis of the produced tools aided the understanding of knapping and use qualities of the different lithic raw materials. A set of six relevant native contact materials were worked with, and the resulting wear traces were analysed using a combined qualitative and quantitative use-wear analysis. Each research element contributed in distinct and valuable ways to the aim of this project, and together have provided a more complete picture of the Southern Jê lithic industry. This has also paved the way for further discussions to better understand the interaction between people and the various raw materials available to them. As a broader achievement, this project introduced a framework that allows for a more precise understanding of the so far underrepresented late Holocene lithic industries. Its critical research approach also raises awareness of contemporary issues affecting both archaeological praxis and society, such as harmful mining activities and environment efforts to preserve endangered fauna and flora species.