Table Of ContentThe Latin American Studies Book Series
Omar Reyes
The Settlement
of the Chonos
Archipelago,
Western
Patagonia, Chile
The Latin American Studies Book Series
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Omar Reyes
The Settlement of the Chonos
Archipelago, Western
Patagonia, Chile
123
OmarReyes
CentrodeEstudios del Hombre Austral
Instituto dela PatagoniaUniversidad de
Magallanes
PuntaArenas,Chile
ISSN 2366-3421 ISSN 2366-343X (electronic)
TheLatin AmericanStudies Book Series
ISBN978-3-030-54325-9 ISBN978-3-030-54326-6 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54326-6
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Acknowledgements
This bookbrings together theresultsof12 years ofarchaeological investigationin
the Chonos Archipelago, in the Aysén Region of Chile. The work has been sup-
portedbyfundingfromanumberofcompetitiveresearchprojectsandothergrants
awarded by the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development
(FONDECYT Regular 1050139, 1100643, 1130151 and 1170726), which is
dependent on the National Committee for Scientific and Technological
Investigation of Chile. The information, both published and unpublished, was
systematised in the framework of the Doctorate in Archaeology Programme of the
Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina,
thanks to its free public education system.
ThearchaeologyofthePatagonianArchipelagohasalwaysattractedus,andtrue
friends were always there to listen, advise and support. Thanks to Manuel San
Román and Valentina Trejo for encouraging me when I needed it and for their
undyingadviceeversincewewerestudentstogether.ToCésarMéndezandAmalia
Nuevo for their generosity and help during this investigation.
My thanks and congratulations to all the crew members of “HMS” Catiao and
Cai Cai, our homes from home at sea. Archaeologists and friends joined to lend
support both on voyage and during fieldwork, contributing, in the different field
trips over all these years, to the generation of a large part of the information
presented here: Manuel San Román, Pablo González, José Díaz, Manny Gómez,
Erik Lukoviek and Pipo Godoy, Francisco Cayla, Javier Cárcamo, César Méndez,
Ismael Martínez, Pedro Cárdenas and Valentina Trejo.
The paleoenvironmental and geomorphological information is the fruit of the
contributions and guidance of Jean Pierre Francois and Juan García. Valentina
Trejo,JacquelineGalimany,ConstanzaDelaFuenteandSusanKusminskyhelped
with the bio-anthropological analyses. Mauricio Moraga and Eugenio Aspillaga
contributed by reconstructing scattered archaeological information researched
decades ago. Jimena Torres, together with Manuel San Román, helped with
archaeofaunal information. Flavia Morello and César Méndez told me about lithic
technology.JavierCárcamoprovidedthemalacologicalmaterial.MauricioMoraga,
v
vi Acknowledgements
as Principal Researcher of Project 1100643, provided me with resources to create
registers, prospections and analyses in the Chonos Archipelago.
Some of the drawings and pictures included here were created by Paulina
Chávez,MauricioÁlvarez(#Mauricio_alvarez_art),ErikLukoviek,MannyGómez,
Ismael MartínezandFranciscoCayla. Many ofthephotographs weretaken byour
dear friend and professional archaeologist Pablo González, who always supported
us whatever the circumstances.
The Huilliche Nahuelquín-Delgado indigenous community, of Traiguén Island
andPuertoAysén,openedtheirdoorsandofferedustheirfriendship;theirhelpwas
ofvitalimportanceintheprospectionworkandexcavationscarriedoutinthesouth
of the Chonos Archipelago and the Taitao Peninsula. My gratitude to Don
Benjamín Nahuelquín Levipani, Doña Isabel Delgado and their children Esaú,
Eduardo, Manuel, José, Mónica and Marcia.
I owe the impulse to carry out this doctoral research to Dr. Guillermo Mengoni
Goñalons––Ithankhimdeeplyforhisguidanceandsupport.MaryJoFiguereroalso
deservesspecialmentionfortheencouragementshegavemeoneachofmyvisitsto
BuenosAires.ThankstoRafaelGoñiforhisinsistence,guidanceandmotivation;to
GutiTessoneforhisvitaladviceonisotopestudiesandhisbroadcollaborationinthe
work on diet and subsistence; to Fabiana Martín, Flavia Morello and Luis Borrero
for their support during different stages of this work. Thanks to Dr. Florencia
Borella,Dr. FranciscoZangrando andDr. JuanBautistaBelardi, who, asmembers
oftheevaluationcommittee,offeredvaluablecommentsandsuggestions.Thanksto
Jorge Rabassa for believing that this book could be published.
TheChileanNavysupportedusonthefieldtriptotheEsteroSursite––thanksto
the crew of LSG Caldera (2012). The logistical support of Pituso (Leonardo
Zuñiga)inCoyhaiquewasalsofundamental.FranciscoMenaandMauricioOsorio
provided information every time a find of bones was reported in the archipelago.
IalsowishtothankAlexanderCherkinskyforthedatingsheprovidedforthePosa
Las Conchillas site and Pat Curry for the manuscript information of her voyage to
the archipelago.
The Research Centre in Patagonian Ecosystems (CIEP) allowed me to use their
installations for safekeeping andbio-anthropological analysis. Wearealso grateful
for access to samples from the Chonos Collection of the Social Sciences Faculty
oftheUniversityofChile.TheAustralManStudyCentre(CEHA)ofthePatagonia
Institute, University of Magallanes, gave me institutional backing throughout the
years of my research.
Special thanks to the coastal communities and peoples of the Aysén Region,
seamen,fishermen,seafoodgatherers,marinecarpenters,mechanicsandothers,who
tookusaroundtheislandsandalwaysshowedtheirinterestandsupportforourwork.
To my family, to those who have always been there and those who set out and
became part of my world.
Finally, to Carolina Belmar, for her unconditional support at the most difficult
moments. Thank you.
Introduction
AbstractThischapterintroducestheresearchproblem.Thegeneralarchaeological
objectives of this investigation focused on describing the human occupation of the
Chonos Archipelago within the regional context; we explored human mobility, by
marine hunter-gatherer groups, over time and its relation with the occupation of
adjacent areas, and evaluated the relation of the human groups with their envi-
ronment, in other words with the exploitation of marine resources, the technology
used and the areas occupied during the Holocene. To understand the dynamics of
this process, we considered the paleoenvironmental and geomorphological factors
which affected the archaeological record, evaluating the formation of the existing
recordandtheparticularconditionsunderwhichwecanrecordthevariouscultural
contexts today.
Keywords:WesternPatagonia•ChonosArchipelago•Maritimehunter-gatherers•
Archipelagic settlements • Coastal Archaeology • Coastal adaptation • Marine
subsistence • Coastal sites
This book brings together the results of more than a decade of archaeological
investigationsintheChonosArchipelago.Theinformationpresentedhereincludes
unpublished data as well as specific subjects addressed in earlier publications,
which we develop here at greater length. We hope that a wide public, including
universityteachers,studentsandresearchers,willbeinterestedinthiscompendium
ofthearchaeologicalworkcarriedoutintheislandsandchannelsofthisPatagonian
Archipelago. The specialist reader may observe passages with which he or she is
already familiar, expressed in more colloquial terms; however, it was necessary to
summarisepreviousworkandprovidesomethingofthehistoryofthisresearchfor
the general public.
Theaimofthisbookistohelpreaderstoappreciatetheheritagevalueofaway
of life that no longer exists, that of the marine hunter-gatherer-fishers. It is of
particular interest for the residents and communities of the Aysén coastline, the
Chiloé Archipelago and the whole coast of southern Chile. Discovering how a
territory carved up by glaciation was occupied by canoe groups over a period of
vii
viii Introduction
6,000 years is a way of giving identity and value to a region which for many may
appear remote, deserted and hostile.
The reader must also bear in mind that the work involved over all these years
may sometimes be disproportionate to the results obtained. Archaeological field-
work in the channels of Patagonia is often unproductive. Results can be built up
only slowly due to bad weather, poor visibility, the logistics of boat travel and the
problems of administering the resources available. Nevertheless, we hope that this
book will be adequate recompense.
Framework Project and Origin of the Problem
The Pacific coast of the southernmost part of South America is broken up into a
complexnetworkofchannels,fjordsandhundredsofislandsknownastheAustral
Archipelagos, Western Channels or western Patagonia (e.g. Bird 1938, 1946,
Emperaire 1963, Steffen 1944, Fig. 1). Almost the entirety of this area, extending
over more than 1,600 km from north to south, lies in Chilean territory, between
ReloncavíSoundandCapeHorn(41°30'–55°60'S).Itcomprisesatotalshorelineof
between 19,000 km (Bird 1988) and 50,000 km (Camus 2001), and an area of
approximately 240,000 km2. Approximately 240 km of the northern shore of the
BeagleChannel(southcoastofTierradelFuego)liesinArgentina.Inthisvastarea
of islands and channels, the first clearly visible human adaptations to the marine
ecosystemdatetoaround6,400yearsBP(or7,200yearscal.BP)[1],accordingto
the data obtained in the area of the Beagle Channel, just short of the southern tip
of the continent (Piana and Orquera 2007, Piana et al. 2012, Orquera and Piana
2009, Orquera et al. 2011).
In this context, various issues of continental and regional importance are dis-
cussed(e.g.Bailey2004,Dillehayetal.2008,Erlandson2001);oneoftheseisthe
geographicaloriginandantiquityoftheadaptationofhunter-gathererstothemarine
environment––when and where human groups achieved complete and almost
exclusive dependence on the sea coast (e.g. specific technologies for boat travel,
specialisation in hunting marine fauna). The alternative origins proposed for this
adaptationtocoastallifelieatthetwoextremesofthePatagonianArchipelago:on
the one hand in the south-west, around the Magellan Strait, the Otway Sound and
the area of the Beagle Channel south of Tierra del Fuego; and on the other in the
north, in Chiloé Island and Reloncaví Sound (Legoupil 2003, 2005, Legoupil and
Fontugne 1997, Orquera and Piana 2005, 2006, Prieto et al. 2013, Rivas et al.
1999). Inherent to the discussion are questions of how fast this adaptive process
spread (Bird 1938, Orquera et al. 2011) and the continuity or discontinuity of
cultural traditions in such an extensive territory (Legoupil 1997, 2003, Morello
etal.2002,2015,OcampoandRivas2004,Orqueraetal.2011,PianaandOrquera
2009,SanRománetal.2016a).Theseregionalissues,farfrombeingexhausted,are
constantlyreviewedinthelightofnewfindsandinterpretationsofthetechnological
Introduction ix
Fig.1 WesternPatagonia.Principalgeographicalfeaturesandarchaeologicalsitesmentionedin
the text. 1—Chan-Chan 18; 2—Puntilla Tenglo; 3—Piedra Azul; 4—Bahía Ilque 1; 5—Centro
Acuicultura Metri; 6—Monte Verde; 7—Puente Quilo; 8—Chepu; 9—Conchal Gamboa; 10—
Yaldad 2; 11—GUA-010 Terraza; 12—Cueva Ayayema; 13—Ponsonby; 14—Englefield and
PizzulicSites;15—BahíaColorada;16—PuntaBaja;17—BahíaBuenaandKM44;18—Punta
SantaAna;19—LanchaPackewaia;20—Tunel1;21—Imiwaia;22—ÁridosGuérrico
