Luis Manuel del Papa
@unlp.edu.ar
Facultad de Ciencias Naturales
Cátedra de Anatomía Comparada, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de La Plata
EDUCATION
Dr. en Ciencias Naturales
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Zooarqueología, tafonomía, subsistencia, arqueología, excavación, domesticación de animales
Scopus Publications
Scholar Citations
Scholar h-index
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Luis Manuel del Papa
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Los camélidos sudamericanos han sido uno de los recursos de mayor importancia desde la llegada de los primeros humanos al continente, registrándose su domesticación para los Andes centro-sur alrededor de 4400-3000 aP. Las investigaciones realizadas en la región Chaco-Santiagueña para la etapa Agroalfarera (350 dC hasta la conquista española en el siglo dieciséis) en su mayoría han interpretado la presencia o ausencia de la especie doméstica de camélidos Lama glama a partir de fuentes etnohistóricas o por consideraciones eto-ecológicas. Sin embargo, con el avance de los estudios zooarqueológicos en la región, asignamos por técnicas osteométricas y análisis estadísticos multivariados especímenes al taxón L. glama para un sitio Agroalfarero tardío (ca. 1200-1500 dC). En este trabajo se incorporan sitios de toda la secuencia Agroalfarera y de distintas zonas geográficas de la región Chaco-Santiagueña con el fin de diferenciar especies de camélidos. A partir de los resultados se interpreta el posible uso de camélidos silvestres y domesticados en la región desde los primeros grupos sedentarios. El uso de llamas podría haber sido una herramienta importante para el establecimiento de redes de interacción social a grandes distancias.
L. D. Papa and G. Lamenza
espanolLos estudios zooarqueologicos en la region chaquena son fundamentales para esclarecer diversos aspectos de las sociedades prehispanicas que alli habitaron. Se presentan los resultados del analisis de los restos faunisticos recuperados en el sitio arqueologico La Ilusion I (SChaSmar 3.1), que se encuentra emplazado sobre una elevacion moderada en vinculacion con un espejo de agua en la region de Esteros, Canadas y Selvas de Ribera del Chaco Humedo. El componente de ocupacion se identifica como un estrato de tierras conchiferas en el cual se encuentran los depositos culturales con una antiguedad de 630 ± 40 14C anos AP (LP-2440) y representa, por el momento, el limite septentrional de la influencia de la Entidad Arqueologica Goya-Malabrigo. Se realizo la determinacion anatomica y taxonomica de la muestra, la cuantificacion y el analisis de las modificaciones oseas con el fin de distinguir los procesos y agentes que actuaron sobre los restos. Como resultado principal se puede mencionar el uso de fauna de bajo retorno energetico como los moluscos, los peces y en menor medida los pequenos roedores, diferenciandose de la mayoria de los sitios de la region analizados previamente por la escasa representacion del coipo. EnglishZooarchaeological studies in the Chaco region are essential to clarify various aspects of the prehispanic societies that lived there. We present the results of the analysis of the faunal remains recovered in the archaeological site La Ilusion I (SChaSmar 3.1), located on a moderate elevation linked with a lagoon in the region of Esteros, Canadas, and Selvas de Ribera of the Humid Chaco. The occupational component is identified as a layer of shells with cultural deposits dated to 630+40 14C years BP (LP-2440), and it currently represents the northern limit of the influence of the Goya-Malabrigo Archaeological Entity. We carried out the anatomical and taxonomic determination of the sample as well as the quantification and analysis of bone modification. Results show the use of low energy return fauna such as mollusks, fish, and, to a lesser extent, small rodents. The difference with most of the sites previously analyzed in the region is the low representation of coypu
Luis del Papa, Guillermo Lamenza, Susana Salceda, and Horacio Calandra
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
En este trabajo se presentan los resultados del análisis de una pieza ósea que brinda información pionera sobre aspectos tecnológicos prehispánicos en el sector ribereño Paraguay-Paraná del Chaco argentino. Se analizó un elemento óseo de Rhea americana con evidencias de formatización. Con el objetivo de caracterizar la etapa de producción representada, se registraron marcas de manufactura, una de las cuales fue analizada con microscopio electrónico de barrido a fin de identificar el material con que se produjo la formatización (piedra o valva). A partir del análisis, se define el elemento como un núcleo con “extracción bosquejada”, es decir, una pieza en la cual se evidencia una forma base que aún no ha sido extraída. Se propone que la técnica de manufactura consistió en el ranurado a partir de filos de valva (Diplodon sp.). Este trabajo constituye el primer aporte con evidencias sobre el uso de filos de valvas de molusco en el proceso de confección de artefactos óseos en sitios arqueológicos de Argentina.
María Macarena Zarza, Luis Manuel Del Papa, and Guillermo Nicolás Lamenza
Universidad Nacional de Cordoba
Las primeras investigaciones zooarqueológicas en la región chaqueña permitieron esclarecer los principales aspectos de la subsistencia humana durante el Holoceno tardío. En estos aportes pioneros, los restos faunísticos se analizaron teniendo en cuenta a cada sitio arqueológico como representante de una sola ocupación. Sin embargo, un posterior análisis de los conjuntos cerámicos siguiendo técnicas numéricas multivariadas propuso la existencia de múltiples ocupaciones en algunos de los sitios. Con esta información se seleccionaron dos agrupamientos de un sitio en particular (El Cachapé Potrero IVB), y se realizaron fechados radiocarbónicos cuyos resultados fueron 1680+100 y 820+70 14C años AP. En base a la nueva información, se decidió realizar la revisión de la arqueofauna, con el objetivo de corroborar la existencia de variación temporal en la estructura de los recursos. Para ello se efectuó la determinación anatómica y taxonómica de los restos, el análisis tafonómico y la cuantificación de la muestra en forma de NISP, %NISP y MNI, e índices de Riqueza, Diversidad, Equitatividad y abundancia relativa. Estos resultados permitieron generar nueva información de utilidad para complementar y ajustar el modelo de explotación de recursos, en relación con la variación a lo largo del tiempo de las ocupaciones humanas ribereñas chaqueñas.
Gabriela Lorenzo, Luciano Lopez, Reinaldo A. Moralejo, and Luis M. Del Papa
Universitat Politecnica de Valencia
<p>Photogrammetry has recently been incorporated into archaeological research, replacing much more expensive techniques while still generating high resolution results. This technique converts two dimensional (2D) images into three-dimensional (3D) models, allowing for the complex analysis of geometric and spatial information. It has become one of the most used methods for the 3D recording of cultural heritage objects. Among its possible archaeological uses are: digitally documenting an archaeological dig at low cost, aiding the decision-making process (Dellepiane et al., 2013); spatial surveying of archaeological sites; 3D model generation of archaeological objects and digitisation of archaeological collections (Adami et al., 2018; Aparicio Resco et al., 2014; Cots et al., 2018; Iturbe et al., 2018; Moyano, 2017).</p><p>The objective of this paper is to show the applicability of 3D models based on SfM (Structure from Motion) photogrammetry for archaeofauna analyses. We created 3D models of four camelid (Lama glama) bone elements (skull, radius-ulna, metatarsus and proximal phalange), aiming to demonstrate the advantages of 3D models over 2D osteological guides, which are usually used to perform anatomical and systematic determination of specimens.</p><p>Photographs were taken with a 16 Megapixel Nikon D5100 DSLR camera mounted on a tripod, with the distance to the object ranging between 1 and 3 m and using a 50mm fixed lens. Each bone element was placed on a 1 m tall stool, with a green, high contrast background. Photographs were shot at regular intervals of 10-15º, moving in a circle. Sets of around 30 pictures were taken from three circumferences at vertical angles of 0º, 45º and 60º. In addition, some detailed and overhead shots were taken from the dorsal and ventral sides of each bone element. Each set of dorsal and ventral photos was imported to Agisoft Photoscan Professional. A workflow (Fig. 4) of alignment, tie point matching, high resolution 3D dense point cloud construction, and creation of a triangular mesh covered with a photographic texture was performed. Finally the dorsal and ventral models were aligned and merged and the 3D model was accurately scaled. In order to determine accuracy of the models, linear measurements were performed and compared to a digital gauge measurement of the physical bones, obtaining a difference of less than 0.5 mm.</p><p>Furthermore, five archaeological specimens were selected to compare our 3D models with the most commonly used 2D camelid atlas (Pacheco Torres et al., 1986; Sierpe, 2015). In the particular case of archaeofaunal analyses, where anatomical and systematic determination of the specimens is the key, digital photogrammetry has proven to be more effective than traditional 2D documentation methods. This is due to the fact that 2D osteological guides based on drawings or pictures lack the necessary viewing angles to perform an adequate and complete diagnosis of the specimens. Using new technology can deliver better results, producing more comprehensive information of the bone element, with great detail and geometrical precision and not limited to pictures or drawings at particular angles. In this paper we can see how 3D modelling with SfM-MVS (Structure from Motion-Multi View Stereo) allows the observation of an element from multiple angles. The possibility of zooming and rotating the models (Figs. 6g, 6h, 7d, 8c) improves the determination of the archaeological specimens.</p><p>Information on how the 3D model was produced is essential. A metadata file must include data on each bone element (anatomical and taxonomic) plus information on photographic quantity and quality. This file must also contain the software used to produce the model and the parameters and resolution of each step of the workflow (number of 3D points, mesh vertices, texture resolution and quantification of the error of the model). In short, 3D models are excellent tools for osteological guides.</p>
Luis Manuel del Papa, Luciano De Santis, and José Togo
Springer International Publishing
In the last few years, zooarchaeological studies of small fauna in Argentina have broadened to aid the interpretation of anthropic or natural input to the archaeological record. This paper presents the first results of the excavation of a site located in the Chaco-Santiaguena archaeological region (Santiago del Estero province, Argentina), within a taphonomic framework which allowed us to maximize contextual information in the archaeological record. Animals with burrowing habits recovered at the Beltran Onofre Banegas-Lami Hernandez site were Tupinambis sp., Chelonoidis chilensis, Ophidia, Chaetophractus vellerosus, Tolypeutes matacus, Cabassous chacoensis, Ctenomys sp., Lagostomus maximus, Dolichotis patagonum, Dolichotis salinicola, Microcavia australis and Galea leucoblephara. This site corresponds to the late agro-pottery stage (between 1200 AD and the Spanish conquest). The contextual relationships, the presence of burrows, the differential distribution of manganese oxide patina and bone surface modifications were considered. This analysis allowed us to differentiate between those individuals who died by natural causes inside their burrows, deposition by natural predators and anthropic accumulation. It also enabled us to make a more precise interpretation for the contribution of animals with burrowing habits to diets of ancient populations.
Luis M. del Papa and Fernando J. Fernández
Elsevier BV
Fernando J. Fernández, Luis M. del Papa, Emiliano Mange, Pablo Teta, Eduardo Crivelli Montero, and Ulyses F.J. Pardiñas
Elsevier BV
Abstract The faunal content from Epullan Chica archaeological site (ECh, thereafter), a small cave located in northwestern Patagonia, Argentina, was studied from taphonomic and paleoenvironmental points of view. This cave is placed in the ecotone between Monte desert and the Patagonian steppe, in the middle Limay River basin, was occupied since the end of the Late Holocene. Zooarchaeological evidence retrieved from ECh is diverse, including fresh-water mollusk shells ( Diplodon chilensis ), eggshell and bone fragments of Rheidae, bones and teeth of large ( Lama guanicoe ), medium (e.g., Chaetophractus villosus , Conepatus chinga ), and micro-sized (several species of sigmodontine and caviomorph rodents) mammals. Most of the recorded taxa were the result of human exploitation. However, owl pellets preserved in the sediments, and other taphonomic signatures, clearly indicate that avian predators are responsible for part of the micromammal record. Micromammal abundances during the last 2.2 ka BP are suggestive of a relative environmental stability around ECh, at least until the beginning of the last century. In this sense, Late Holocene landscapes were dominated by open steppe areas and large rocky outcrops, with minor changes in humidity and temperature during this period.
Luis M. del Papa
Elsevier BV
Abstract Zooarchaeological analysis of the role of turtles as a resource for ancient inhabitants has been approached in different regions of the world, within the Broad-Spectrum Revolution and paleodemography frameworks and covering extensive periods of time. In the present work, the role of tortoises ( Chelonoidis chilensis ) is discussed for the Beltran Onofre Banegas-Lami Hernandez site from Chaco-Santiaguena archaeological region (Santiago del Estero Province, Argentina). This site corresponds to the late agro-pottery stage. The proportion of used resources at the site was estimated and the ethnographic work of the study region and surrounding areas were analyzed to discuss the importance of turtles in the diet of ancient inhabitants. In accord with the results, C. chilensis was used opportunistically or circumstantially, and could be more relevant during summer as an additional resource to lizards, Tupinambis sp.
Luis M. del Papa
Wiley
We analysed bone remains of camelids from the Maquijata site, assigned to the late pottery-making and farming stage (ca. 800–400 BP), in order to differentiate between domestic and wild species in the Chaco-Santiago archaeological region. This region is considered marginal to the Argentine Northwest regarding its cultural development and has received less attention than other regions. South American camelids have been one of the major resources in this continent, with domestication recorded in the South Central Andes at around 4400–3000 BP. We applied osteometric techniques and multivariate statistical analyses to proximal phalanges; the results showed interspecific differentiation of archaeological specimens, though with some methodological application issues. These results are the first contribution regarding the presence of domesticated animals in the study area. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
María G. Couso, Reinaldo A. Moralejo, Marco A. Giovannetti, Luis M. del Papa, and María C. Páez
Elsevier BV
The territory of the Inka once covered parts of the present-day countries of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, as their political control spread across South America’s Andean region. The site of El Shincal de Quimivil, located in the western part of the province of Catamarca in northwestern Argentina, is thought to have served as one of the most important provincial capitals within this territorial range. This article discusses evidence from excavations conducted in Enclosure 1 of the Kancha II structure, a typical Inka architectural space located at the foot of one of the site’s artificially terraced hills. The enclosure’s excavation has yielded abundant assemblages of archaeological evidence, including ceramic, botanical, faunal, and lithic materials, as well as a centrally located mortar elevated on a platform of stones. The ceramic assemblages are notable for their diversity of typological styles and a high proportion of Inka-type pottery. Faunal materials include discarded food remains, especially camelid bones, and bone projectile points. Plant macroremains identified as maize (Zea mays) and algarrobo (Prosopis sp.) were present in the archaeobotanical assemblages. In terms of architectural analysis, the use of space and the materials excavated notably set this enclosure apart from other areas studied at El Shincal de Quimivil. This unique spatial arrangement is probably directly related to festival events, where El Shincal de Quimivil would have played a central role within the dynamics of the southern Inka provinces. Enclosures such as the one discussed here may have served as lodging for visitors during large gatherings.
Fernando J. Fernández, Luis M. del Papa, Germán J. Moreira, Luciano Prates, and Luciano J.M. De Santis
Elsevier BV
This paper presents the results of a taphonomic and paleoenvironmental analysis of small mammal remains recovered from the Negro Muerto and Angostura 1 archaeological sites. These sites (ca. 0.5 and 0.95 ka BP, respectively), are located in the middle and lower Negro River valley in northern Patagonia, Argentina. Based upon the presence of several types of evidence (cut marks, bone tools, and thermal alteration), it is proposed that Holochilus brasiliensis and cavies were acumulated by humans. At the Angostura 1 site, some remains also show evidence of having been generated by carnivores (digestion, breakage patterns, and relative skeletal element abundances). This indicates that carnivores (e.g., Puma concolor) could have contributed to the formation of the small mammal assemblages. Other small mammal species recovered at both sites (e.g., Galea leucoblephara, Microcavia australis, Akodon molinae, and Graomys griseoflavus) suggest semi-desert environmental conditions, similar to those found today. The presence of Reithrodon auritus and Oligoryzomys sp. indicate the development of open herbaceous steppe environments in proximity to bodies of water. However, the discovery of H. brasiliensis at both sites, an orizomyine of amphibious habitats and subtropical origin, and which is now absent in the area, suggests warmer and wetter conditions during this period.