Archaeological and Paleontological Research in Lagoa Santa : The Quest for the First Americans

This groundbreaking volume presents, for the first time in English, a broad historical review of the researches carried out over 170 years in the region of Lagoa Santa, Brazil, one of the most important archaeological regions in the Americas. From the pioneering work of the Danish naturalist Peter Lund in the XIX century to the recent research on the dispersion of early humans across South America, led by Walter A. Neves and colleagues, Lagoa Santa has offered remarkable findings, the largest collections of early human skeletons in the Americas, and has contributed to the overall discussions about the settlement of the Americas. This edited volume aims to fill the lack of publications in English about Lagoa Santa and gathers representatives of all the main Brazilian institutions directly involved in the archaeological and paleontological investigations in the region, in order to provide the international scientific community a comprehensive and complete account of the researches that contributed to rewrite the history of the peopling of the Americas. The book is organized in two parts. The first consists of chapters describing each of the interventions in the region, beginning with the pioneering work of Peter Lund and culminating with the latest intervention led by Walter A. Neves and his team. The second part of the book consists of reviews of current relevant research foci in the region, such as migrations, health, mortuary rituals, paleontology, rock art and technology. Foreword 5 Is Lagoa Santa a Tropical “Classic”? 5 References 8 Contents 9 About the Authors 11 Chapter 1: Introduction 17 Part I: History of Research in Lagoa Santa 24 Chapter 2: Peter Wilhelm Lund: Life and Work 25 Excavations 29 Working Methods 30 Lapa Nova de Maquiné (Lund 1837b) 32 Cerca Grande (Lund 1837b) 33 The Cave Fauna Memoirs (Lund 1841a, b, c, d, 1842a, b, c, 1845c, 1846) 34 Lund’s Personal Evolution 37 References 38 Chapter 3: Peter Wilhelm Lund’s Scientific Contributions 41 Introduction 42 Lund and the Cave World 43 Formulating Concepts at the Maquiné Cave 45 Karst Geology and Morphology 48 The Stratigraphy of the Sediments 49 How the Fossils Got into the Caves 52 Final Remarks 53 References 54 Chapter 4: The Anthropological Studies of Lagoa Santa in the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro: Insertion, Debates, and Scientific Controversies at the Turn of the Nineteenth to the Twentieth Century 56 Introduction 56 The National Museum in the Nineteenth Century 57 The National Museum, Ethnology, Anthropology, and Scientific Relations in the Mid-nineteenth Century 58 Anthropology and the Reform of the National Museum at the End of the Nineteenth Century 60 Anthropology and Scientific Exhibitions and Expeditions at the Turn of the Nineteenth to the Twentieth Century 62 The Debate on American Man: Dialogues Between the National Museum and the Scientific World 66 The Scientific Controversies of the 1930s 70 Conclusion 74 References 75 Chapter 5: The Physical Anthropology Archives of the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro: Lagoa Santa in the First Half of the Twentieth Century 78 Introduction 79 Padberg-Drenkpohl and the Dilemma of the Contemporaneity of the “Lagoa Santa Race” and the Extinct Pleistocene Megafauna 81 José Bastos de Ávila and the Carrancas Caves 86 The Controversy Between the National Museum and the Minas Gerais Academy of Sciences 89 Final Remarks 92 References 93 Documental Sources 94 Chapter 6: The Minas Gerais Academy of Sciences: Lund’s Inheritors 95 Introduction 95 Historical Context 96 The Academy’s Performance 99 Final Remarks 104 References 106 Chapter 7: Archaeological Missions to the Lagoa Santa Region in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century 108 Introduction 108 The American-Brazilian Mission (1955/1956) 109 The Franco-Brazilian Mission (1971–1977) 111 Origins 111 The Team and the History of Operations 112 Results of the Prospections (Laming-Emperaire et al. 1974) 116 The Excavations 118 The Holocene Levels of Lapa Vermelha IV 118 The Pleistocene Levels of Lapa Vermelha IV 121 Survey of the Rock Paintings 123 Conclusion 126 References 127 Chapter 8: The National Museum’s Contributions to Lagoa Santa Research in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century 129 Introduction 130 One Institution: Various Roles 133 The National Museum as Repository of Collections: Contributions to the Custody of the Lagoa Santa Heritage 133 A Research Institution: Physical Anthropology, Archaeology, and Paleontology of Lagoa Santa 135 Research Missions and Projects 135 References 142 Chapter 9: The Origins Project and the First Americans’ Controversy 146 Introduction: The Origins of the Controversy 146 Lagoa Santa in Perspective 148 New Events in Lagoa Santa: The Origins Project 150 Academic Production and Final Remarks 159 Supplementary Material 168 References 206 Part II: Research Topics 222 Chapter 10: The Repercussions of the Human Skeletons from Lagoa Santa in the International Scenario 223 Introduction 224 The First Descriptive Works and the Antiquity of the Human Skeletons 224 Typological Studies of the Origin of Paleoamerican Morphology 227 The Chronological and Morphological Contextualization of Lagoa Santa 229 Exploring the Origin of American Morphological Diversity 232 Final Remarks 234 References 235 Chapter 11: The Lagoa Santa Skeletons and the Cranial Morphology of the First Americans 240 Introduction: New People in the New World 241 Modern Craniometrics and the Rebirth of an Anthropometric Marker 244 Lagoa Santa Strikes Again 248 New Models and the Future of Craniometric Investigations in Lagoa Santa 250 References 253 Chapter 12: History of the Research into Health and Lifestyle in Lagoa Santa 260 Introduction 261 The History of Research 261 New Prospects 271 Skeletal Collection 271 Archaeological Context 273 Living Populations 274 Final Remarks 276 References 277 Chapter 13: Burial Practices in the Lagoa Santa Region 282 References 300 Chapter 14: Constructing the Past. A Look at Lagoa Santa Paleontology 303 The Studies after Peter Lund 303 E Museo Lundii 305 The Second Half of the Twentieth Century 307 Other Viewpoints 314 Future Prospects 316 References 319 Chapter 15: The History of the Studies of Prehistoric Rock Paintings in the Lagoa Santa Karst 324 Rock Painting Studies in the Lagoa Santa Region: A History 325 The Art of Researching Rupestrian Records 330 Observation of Chronological Elements 330 The Insertion of the Rock Painting Sites in the Landscape and the Choice of Surfaces 331 Trying to Understand the Wall Devices 332 Filing, Communicating, and Publishing the Documentation 333 State of the Art: The Stylistic Assemblages 333 The Engraving at the Lapa Cinzenta 334 Planalto Tradition 334 The Earliest Period 336 Intermediate Moments 336 Late Manifestations 337 The Ballet Figures and the Caieiras Rockshelter 337 Black Crayon 340 Pecked Engraving on Stalagmitic Floors or Fallen Blocks of Stone. 341 Sets of Cupules and Deep Incisions 341 Narrow/Shallow Incisions and Scrapings 342 Paintings Attributed to Agriculturalists 343 Paintings and Incisions in Historical Times 343 The Rupestrian Figurations in Perspective: Heritages Accepted or Refused 344 Surviving Remains of the Art of the Prehistoric Past 345 Conclusions: A Framework Far from the Final Artwork 345 References 346 Filmography 349 Chapter 16: Lithic Technology in Lagoa Santa in the Early Holocene 350 Introduction 350 History of the Research 351 Lagoa Santa Lithic Assemblages: The Origins Project Activities and the National Museum Collection 354 Lapa do Santo and Lapa das Boleiras: Organization and Analysis of the Collections 355 Lapa das Boleiras 359 Open Air Sites and Occurrences Around the Sumidouro Lake 360 The Lagoa Santa Collection in the National Museum/Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) 366 A Simple Industry? 370 Conclusion 374 References 375 Chapter 17: Towards the Development of a Tropical Geoarchaeology: Lagoa Santa as an Emblematic Case Study 377 Introduction 377 A Bit of History 378 Ashes to Ashes or How the Anthropogenic Nature of Sediments from Lagoa Santa Rockshelters Was Recognized 379 The “Archaic Gap”, or Looking at the Familiar and Finding the Unexpected 382 From the Particular to the General 383 Open-Air Sites, Slope Processes, and Paleoenvironments: Archaeology as a Data Provider 385 Palaeo-Indians and Large Mammals in Brazil: Putting an End to a 200-Year-Long Controversy 387 Conclusions 390 References 391 Index 396 1. Introduction / Pedro Da-gloria, Walter A. Neves, And Mark Hubbe -- Part I. History Of Research In Lagoa Santa. 2. Peter Wilhelm Lund : Life And Work / Birgitte Holten And Michael Sterll ; 3. Peter Wilhelm Lund's Scientific Contributions / Augusto S. Auler And Luís Beethoven Piló ; 4. The Anthropological Studies Of Lagoa Santa In The National Museum Of Rio De Janeiro : Insertion, Debates, And Scientific Controversies At The Turn Of The Nineteenth To The Twentieth Century / Adriana T.a. Martins Keuller ; 5. The Physical Anthropology Archives Of The National Museum Of Rio De Janeiro : Lagoa Santa In The First Half Of The Twentieth Century / Verlan Valle Gaspar Neto And Claudia Rodrigues-carvalho ; 6. The Minas Gerais Academy Of Sciences : Lund's Inheritors / Fernando Walter Da Silva Costa ; 7. Archaeological Missions To The Lagoa Santa Region In The Second Half Of The Twentieth Century / André Prous ; 8. The National Museum's Contributions To Lagoa Santa Research In The Second Half Of The Twentieth Century / Sheila Mendonça De Souza And Andersen Liryo ; 9. The Origins Project And The First Americans' Controversy / Danilo Vicensotto Bernardo, Walter A. Neves, And Renato Kipnis -- Part Ii. Research Topics. 10. The Repercussions Of The Human Skeletons From Lagoa Santa In The International Scenario / Mark Hubbe And Walter A. Neves ; 11. The Lagoa Santa Skeletons And The Cranial Morphology Of The First Americans / Danilo Vicensotto Bernardo And Walter A. Neves ; 12. History Of The Research Into Health And Lifestyle In Lagoa Santa / Pedro Da-gloria And Rodrigo Elias Oliveira ; 13. Burial Practices In The Lagoa Santa Region / André Strauss ; 14. Constructing The Past. A Look At Lagoa Santa Paleontology / Cástor Cartelle ; 15. The History Of The Studies Of Prehistoric Rock Paintings In The Lagoa Santa Karst / Alenice Baeta And André Prous ; 16. Lithic Technology In Lagoa Santa In The Early Holocene / Lucas De Melo Reis Bueno And Andrei Isnardis ; 17. Towards The Development Of A Tropical Geoarchaeology : Lagoa Santa As An Emblematic Case Study / Astolfo Gomes De Mello Araujo And Luís Beethoven Piló. Pedro Da-gloria, Walter A. Neves, Mark Hubbe, Editors. This Springer Imprint Is Published By Springer Nature--title Page Verso. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-xvi Introduction....Pages 1-7 Front Matter....Pages 9-9 Peter Wilhelm Lund: Life and Work....Pages 11-26 Peter Wilhelm Lund’s Scientific Contributions....Pages 27-41 The Anthropological Studies of Lagoa Santa in the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro: Insertion, Debates, and Scientific Controversies at the Turn of the Nineteenth to the Twentieth Century....Pages 43-64 The Physical Anthropology Archives of the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro: Lagoa Santa in the First Half of the Twentieth Century....Pages 65-81 The Minas Gerais Academy of Sciences: Lund’s Inheritors....Pages 83-95 Archaeological Missions to the Lagoa Santa Region in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century....Pages 97-117 The National Museum’s Contributions to Lagoa Santa Research in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century....Pages 119-135 The Origins Project and the First Americans’ Controversy....Pages 137-212 Front Matter....Pages 213-213 The Repercussions of the Human Skeletons from Lagoa Santa in the International Scenario....Pages 215-231 The Lagoa Santa Skeletons and the Cranial Morphology of the First Americans....Pages 233-252 History of the Research into Health and Lifestyle in Lagoa Santa....Pages 253-274 Burial Practices in the Lagoa Santa Region....Pages 275-295 Constructing the Past. A Look at Lagoa Santa Paleontology....Pages 297-317 The History of the Studies of Prehistoric Rock Paintings in the Lagoa Santa Karst....Pages 319-344 Lithic Technology in Lagoa Santa in the Early Holocene....Pages 345-371 Towards the Development of a Tropical Geoarchaeology: Lagoa Santa as an Emblematic Case Study....Pages 373-391 Back Matter....Pages 393-401 La 4e de couv. indique : "This groundbreaking volume presents, for the first time in English, a broad historical review of the researches carried out over 170 years in the region of Lagoa Santa, Brazil, one of the most important archaeological regions in the Americas. From the pioneering work of the Danish naturalist Peter Lund in the XIX century to the recent research on the dispersion of early humans across South America, led by Walter A. Neves and colleagues, Lagoa Santa has offered remarkable findings, the largest collections of early human skeletons in the Americas, and has contributed to the overall discussions about the settlement of the Americas. This edited volume aims to fill the lack of publications in English about Lagoa Santa and gathers representatives of all the main Brazilian institutions directly involved in the archaeological and paleontological investigations in the region, in order to provide the international scientific community a comprehensive and complete account of the researches that contributed to rewrite the history of the peopling of the Americas. The book is organized in two parts. The first consists of chapters describing each of the interventions in the region, beginning with the pioneering work of Peter Lund and culminating with the latest intervention led by Walter A. Neves and his team. The second part of the book consists of reviews of current relevant research foci in the region, such as migrations, health, mortuary rituals, paleontology, rock art, technology and geoarchaeology.' "This groundbreaking volume presents, for the first time in English, a broad historical review of the researches carried out over 170 years in the region of Lagoa Santa, Brazil, one of the most important archaeological regions in the Americas. From the pioneering work of the Danish naturalist Peter Lund in the XIX century to the recent research on the dispersion of early humans across South America, led by Walter A. Neves and colleagues, Lagoa Santa has offered remarkable findings, the largest collections of early human skeletons in the Americas, and has contributed to the overall discussions about the settlement of the Americas. This edited volume aims to fill the lack of publications in English about Lagoa Santa and gathers representatives of all the main Brazilian institutions directly involved in the archaeological and paleontological investigations in the region, in order to provide the international scientific community a comprehensive and complete account of the researches that contributed to rewrite the history of the peopling of the Americas. The book is organized in two parts. The first consists of chapters describing each of the interventions in the region, beginning with the pioneering work of Peter Lund and culminating with the latest intervention led by Walter A. Neves and his team. The second part of the book consists of reviews of current relevant research foci in the region, such as migrations, health, mortuary rituals, paleontology, rock art, technology, and geoarchaeology"--Back cover This groundbreaking volume presents, for the first time in English, a broad historical review of the researches carried out over 170 years in the region of Lagoa Santa, Brazil, one of the most important archaeological regions in the Americas. From the pioneering work of the Danish naturalist Peter Lund in the 19th century to the recent research on the dispersion of early humans across South America, led by Walter A. Neves and colleagues, Lagoa Santa has offered remarkable findings, the largest collections of early human skeletons in the Americas, and has contributed to the overall discussions about the settlement of the Americas. This edited volume aims to fill the lack of publications in English about Lagoa Santa and to gather representatives of all the main Brazilian institutions directly involved in the archaeological and paleontological investigations in the region, in order to provide the international scientific community a comprehensive and complete account of the researches that contributed to rewrite the history of the peopling of the Americas. The book is organized in two parts. The first consists of chapters describing each of the interventions in the region, beginning with the pioneering work of Peter Lund and culminating with the latest intervention led by Walter A. Neves and his team. The second part of the book consists of reviews of current relevant research foci in the region, such as migrations, health, mortuary rituals, paleontology, rock art, technology, and geoarchaeology