Estudo sobre estratégias de subsistência de caçadores-coletores pré-históricos do sítio Gruta do Gavião, Carajás (Pará)

Abstract

The gavião grotto archaeological site is located south of the state of Pará, Parauapebas municipality in the northern range in Carajás, in an iron ore deposit. It is located in transition area between two types of environments: forest and canga (closed). The excavations revealed three levels of occupation of hunter-gatherer groups, pre-ceramic period, with dates varying between 2,900 and 8,140. The archaeological remains are distributed mainly in two distinct areas of activities: in the inner part more illuminated area of ​​the Vaimorê hall and hall flakes used for bonfires and work in general; on the outside "stove" and surroundings used for food processing and chipping. The material found consists mainly of seeds, charcoal, lytic and faunal material. With emphasis on the zooarchaeological study, food items were identified that comprised part of the diet of the groups and it was verified that they explored all types of environment found in the Carajás mountain range, being verified predominance of animals from forest environment. The material consists of several groups of animals: mammals, reptiles, birds, mollusks, fish and crustaceans characterizing mixed economy of broad spectrum based on small species. Judging by the evidence obtained this type of subsistence remained constant during the 5,000 years of occupation of the cave.