Preservation at Monte Verde II was remarkable, a result of what must have been its rapid burial after abandonment and its location within a gallery peat bog on an alluvial terrace of a small creek tributary to the Maullín river. Seeds, wood, plant leaves, animal bones and even soft tissue was preserved within the site levels.
Archaeological investigations at Monte Verde II uncovered the remains of two hut structures, represented by wooden tent peg remains, hut foundations and floors, and 24 hearths and braziers. Wooden lances, mortars and digging sticks, medicinal and edible plants, animal bones, hide and even soft tissue were discovered at the site, as were numerous stone tools and human footprints. The site was occupied year-round, and the residents of Monte Verde II took advantage of resources from a wide range of ecosystems, including coastal and mountain foods and materials.
Most of the structures in evidence at Monte Verde were tent-like structures, such as the one illustrated in the photo. Charcoal from a central brazier within one of the tents returned calibrated dates between 13,990 and 14,600 cal BP.
Sources and Further Information
From Whence Came those Aboriginals of America?, the discovery of Monte Verde
Hunter-gatherers
Dillehay, Tom D., et al. 2008 Monte Verde: Seaweed, Food, Medicine, and the Peopling of South America. Science 320:784-786.
