Living in a coast–grassland ecotone: Zooarchaeology of a late Holocene shell midden in the Uruguayan Atlantic Coast

Abstract

La Esmeralda is a group of Donax hanleyanus shell middens (A, B, and C) located on the Uruguayan Atlantic coast dating to the late Holocene. This paper analyzes the vertebrate remains recovered during the excavation of shell midden A. The remains were taxonomically and anatomically identified, and quantified using NISP (number of identified specimens), MNI (minimum number of individuals), MNE (minimum number of elements), and MAU (minimum animal units). Additionally, bone surfaces were examined to identify anthropogenic and natural modifications. Several vertebrate species, including marine (pinnipeds, birds, fish) and terrestrial (deer, armadillos), were captured, processed, and consumed at the site. La Esmeralda can be chronologically linked to other coastal and inland sites located near the coast, which together reflect diverse forms of landscape occupation and various economic, domestic, and ritual activities. Collectively, these settlements show a sustained use of the Atlantic coast–grassland ecotone during the late Holocene, possibly within a coastal–inland mobility circuit. The significance of coastal and continental resources in this region has been discussed for over two decades. Although isotopic studies of human remains suggests that marine resources did not play a significant role in the diet, the material record shows the simultaneous exploitation of both types of resources. This work provides new information to continue enriching this discussion.