Causalidad o concurrencia, relaciones entre cambios ambientales y sociales en los cazadores recolectores durante la transición entre el holoceno medio y tardío(costa del semiárido de Chile)

Abstract

Palaeoenvironmental research along the Chilean semiarid coast line (31 degrees 50'S) has revealed interesting contemporaneous trends in the transition from and to humid phases, and differences in intensity of human occupation in the area. Even though environmental variation is contemporary to changes in settlement and mobility patterns, these do not fully explain modifications observed in the archaeological record. In this paper we discuss settlement patterns and mobility during Mid to Late Holocene, a well-documented period from the local pollen record (post similar to 6, 100 cal. years B.P.), on the basis of contextual variables, radiocarbon chronology, zooarchaeological record and artifact assemblages. Our objective is to assess environmental "causality" versus "co-occurrence" as factors responsible for changes in hunter gatherers' conduct in the study area. Finally, we propose cultural change as the result of several integrated variables operating contemporaneously.