So near, so distant: Human occupation and colonization trajectories on the Araucanian islands (37 degrees 30 ' S. 7000-800 cal BP [5000 cal BC-1150 cal AD])

Abstract

The initial human occupation and colonization of island areas are linked to a set of ideas and assumptions about when and how these processes occur. This paper discusses these ideas in light of archaeological evidence from the Araucanian islands (in Southern Chile) with regard to the different trajectories experienced there mostly by hunter-gatherer groups. The evidence indicates that rather than presenting a homogeneous and shared regional pattern, each island represents a particular trajectory of human history. This is represented by differing dates for the earliest human presence on each island, as well as distinct processes of abandonment and re-occupation. In addition, despite a long history of prior hunter-gatherer occupations, these islands were ultimately colonized solely by food-producer groups. This highlights the importance of considering factors such as the cultural construction of space and the constraints it places on inhabitants and their technology, as well as a population's dynamic history in terms of its relationship with the mainland and the island(s).