Ambientes funerários e a contribuição para novas leituras arqueológicas : adornos em sepulturas humanas do sítio Justino/SE, como evidência do contato nativo americano/europeu

Abstract

The study done in funeral archeological areas reflects part of the human behavior against death and, under a bioarcheological research view, data that allows a better understanding about the individual and its society is gathered through the dynamics seen in the funeral contexts. Researches done in the region of Xingó between the 80’s and 90’s provided a rich artifact and human osteological collection. The Justino site, classified as cemetery and habitation place, is composed by more than 160 graves, deposited in long layers, reaching more than five meters deep. In the research here mentioned, four graves of this site were selected due to the presence of European origin glass beads. By choosing such artifacts, a suggestion on using funeral ornaments to establish chronologies related to the site is done. In order to do that, graves and individuals are analyzed to provide reliability on the original context of the glass beads and to trace the bioanthropological profile of the selected skeletons. Regarding the ornaments, a technical and composition classification is done on the pieces produced in national territory. For the glass beads made in Europe during the 13th century, several classifications are proposed, emphasizing the production period. This way, it is possible to assign a date to Justino site posterior to the 16th century, increasing the occupation period of the site as a cemetery.