CONSTRUIR PARA PRODUCIR. PEQUEÑAS ELEVACIONES EN TIERRA PARA EL CULTIVO DE MAÍZ EN EL SITIO CAÑADA DE LOS CAPONCITOS, TACUAREMBÓ (URUGUAY)

This paper introduces new evidences in order to discuss the nature of production and management of plant resources and their relationship with prehistoric earthen structure’s construction and use, with an emphasis on micro-reliefs. Currently documented earthen structures in Tacuarembó county, in Uruguay (n=996) were placed in lowland floodplains, at the edge of wetlands and over ranges and hills, forming, in some cases, groupings between 15 and 60 mounds. With respect to the internal arrangement of archaeological sites, settlements could be described through their earthen structures (micro-reliefs, platforms, mounds and ramps) and also by other anthropogenically transformed traits (lagoons, channels and depressed areas).  The hypothesis to test is that small earthen structures at Cañada de los Caponcitos (micro-reliefs) were constructed and used as cultivation plots. Archaeological and archaeobotanical results identified the anthropogenic origin of such structures and evidenced a richer and more diverse set of opal phytoliths than the outer control area. Economically important plants, such as Arecaceae, Cannaceae, and corn phytoliths appear after 885 14C yrs BP.