Abstract

FERREIRA DE MELO JUNIOR, João Carlos  and  ESTEVES MAGALHAES, Washington Luiz. Anthracology of Paleo-Indian Bonfires in Central Brazil: Technological and Paleoethnobotanical Considerations Regarding the Use of Forest Resources in Lapa do Santo Rockshelter, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Antipod. Rev. Antropol. Arqueol. [online]. 2015, n.22, pp.137-161. ISSN 1900-5407.  https://doi.org/10.7440/antipoda22.2015.07.

This study identified the species of wood in charcoal recovered from Paleo-Indian bonfires in the Lapa do Santo archaeological site, Minas Gerais / Brazil, dated 4140 ± 40-8900 ± 40 AP. Eight different species of wood were identified, mainly species occurring in cerrado environments and gallery forests. The different types of wood analyzed presented characteristics that would have favored their use in rudimentary structures for combustion, indicating foraging strategies for the selective collection of forest resources for fuel wood possessing physical and chemical properties known to facilitate burning.

Keywords : Anthracology; paleoethnobotany; prehistoric bonfires; physical and chemical properties of wood.

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