O interflúvio e a biodiversidade dos recursos vegetais utilizados pelas populações amazônicas pré-coloniais

Abstract

The analysis of plant remains at archaeological sites provides information that suggests a multiplicity of practices and practices for managing vegetation since ancient times. In the Amazon, botanical macro-traces are preserved mainly through carbonization. It was with a close eye on charcoal that doctoral research investigated the use of plants by pre-colonial populations that inhabited the Claudio Cutião site. This site is located in an interfluve area, between the basins of the Negro and Uatumã rivers, more specifically on the banks of the Pardo River, in the municipality of Presidente Figueiredo/AM. The carbonized macro-traces were analyzed morphologically and anatomically using a stereomicroscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and their identification occurred based on comparison with specimens of current flora and an online image bank. The analyses resulted in the identification of several fragments of wood, fruits, seeds and underground plant organs, including plants with high nutritional value, such as Brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa), pequiá (Caryocar villosum), buriti (Mauritia flexuosa) and bacaba (Oneocarpus bacaba), suggesting that the existence of these plants was promoted throughout the occupation of the site. In addition, the research demonstrated the feasibility of anatomical analysis of fruits, seeds and other plant organs from an archaeological perspective using SEM. With this, the aim is to collaborate in the improvement of techniques that contribute to the identification of plant macro-remains in Amazonian contexts.