Man and Vegetation in Southeastern Brazil during the Late Holocene

Abstract

Despite the great interest shown by archaeologists in the environment of Brazilian fisher–gatherer–hunter populations and their diet, little is known. Desiccated plant remains are rarely recovered in these archaeological sites, but charcoal, an invaluable source of palaeoenvironmental information, is usually abundant. Six shell-mounds from the southeastern coast of Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil) were studied. Anthracological analysis of over 15,500 charcoal fragments showed that this region was covered by different plant associations during the Late Holocene, and that no significant variations affected the vegetation during this period. Palaeoethnological observations suggest that the random gathering of dead wood supplied most of the wood fuel used by man. Gathering of plant food was certainly much more important to these populations than it has been previously thought. The great number of carbonized palm fruit shells, seeds and monocotyledon tubers found testifies to their importance on human diet.