VESTÍGIOS MACROBOTÂNICOS CARBONIZADOS NA AMAZÔNIA CENTRAL: O QUE ELES NOS DIZEM SOBRE AS PLANTAS NA PRÉ-HISTÓRIA?

Abstract

Until recently the study of human occupation in the Central Amazonia focused on the analysis of archaeological remains with better preservation in this tropical context. The scenario has changed in recent years with contributions from research on micro and macrobotanical remains. We add to this with the analysis of charred macrobotanical remains from the archaeological sites of Osvaldo, Lago Grande, and Acutuba, Amazonas State. In these sites, food resources such as palm nut fragments, tubers, seeds, and maize were retrieved, in addition to wood. The distribution of these botanical elements in the archeological layers suggests that different cultural activities were responsible for the composition of the record. Moreover, they suggest that at different times during the occupation of these sites the usage of some types of the charred plant remains prevailed over others.