Study proposes novel hypothesis to explain occupation of Brazil's southern coast 2,000 years ago

A novel hypothesis explaining the occupation of Brazil's southern coast 2,000 years ago is being proposed by researchers from the University of São Paulo's Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (MAE-USP). The new findings, published in the journal PLOS ONE, challenge previous beliefs about the relationship between the "sambaqui" builders of Galheta IV, an archaeological site in Laguna, Santa Catarina, and the ancestors of the Southern Jê population.

According to the article, sambaquis are long-lasting evidence of occupation, characterized by mounds comprising shellfish remnants, bones, plant remnants, and artifacts like utensils and hearths. These mounds served various purposes, including burial, shelter, and territorial delineation.

Contrary to previous assumptions, the research suggests that there was limited interaction between the sambaqui builders and the proto-Jê populations, as they had distinct funerary practices and pottery. The sambaqui builders were born in the same location and were descendants of its earlier inhabitants, challenging the idea that they were replaced by people from the Santa Catarina uplands. The notion of replacement arose due to the pottery found in the upper layers of the sambaqui sites resembling the pottery of South Jê Indigenous groups Kaingang and Laklãnõ-Xokleng.

Reasons for the cessation of sambaqui construction remain uncertain, with potential factors including contact with other cultures and environmental changes, such as sea level fluctuations and a decline in shellfish availability. The author of the article, Jéssica Mendes Cardoso, analyzed materials collected by a previous MAE-USP and UNISUL team, examining strontium, carbon, and nitrogen isotopes. The study revealed that fish and seafood constituted 60% of the group's diet. The burial practices of the sambaqui builders differed from those of Southern proto-Jê populations, as evidenced by the absence of cremation in their funerary customs.

Faunal remains analysis demonstrated that animals like albatrosses, penguins, and fur seals were present at the site, suggesting their significance in funeral rituals. The site, considered a burial ground, contained 12 albatrosses in one burial unit. Advanced dating techniques indicated that the site was older than previously believed, estimated to have been built and frequented between 1,300 and 500 years ago.

Further examination of the pottery found at the archaeological site revealed that the proto-Jê might have influenced the sambaqui builders to adopt certain cultural aspects. Among the examined 131 potsherds, it was observed that the pottery from the site differed significantly in shape and decoration from that found in the Santa Catarina uplands but resembled pottery from coastal sites in both the north and south of the state. The pottery remains unearthed here are the oldest discovered in the state, dating back 1,300 years, while upland pottery is approximately 1,000 years old.

To deepen understanding of these connections and material expressions of the past, a new research project, led by professor Ximena Villagran at MAE-USP, will explore another site named Jabuticabeira II in the area. This new investigation seeks to expand knowledge of the ancient occupation along Brazil's southern coast.