Moiety specific wood selection in funerary ritual for the southern proto-Jê

Abstract

Identification of wood charcoal associated with earth ovens at a southern proto-Jê mortuary complex in Misiones, Argentina, are discussed in relation to a dual social structure. A distinct difference in form between the ovens in the east and west follow a pattern of asymmetry that manifests at multiple levels across the mortuary landscape. The asymmetry reflects a dual social structure that is the precursor to the moiety system employed by modern Jê groups. In the moiety system all people, things, and phenomena are assigned to a moiety in an all-encompassing classificatory system. The identification of charcoal as Jacaranda sp. in the western earth ovens matches the moiety associations and suggests a specific use of resources within ritual determined by the dual social system. The results have implications for understanding southern proto-Jê social formation, ritual practice, and resource management, as well as providing a cautionary note for the consideration of cultural formation when designing research questions and methodologies.