Pedo‐Geochemical Signatures of Archeological Sites in the Tapirapé‐Aquiri National Forest in Marabá, Amazonia, Brazil

The present study aims to interpret the occupation of terra firme (nonflooded uplands) archeological sites located at Tapirape-Aquiri National Forest in the Brazilian state of Para, through an integrated analysis of pedological, archeological, and geochemical data. We focus on seven archaeological sites, selected among 22 identified in the region. Radiocarbon and thermoluminescence dating indicate distinct periods of occupation over the past similar to 6000 years, and the pedo-geochemical data identify intra-and inter-site differences in soil. Archaeological, chronometric, and pedo-geochemical data provide a basis for the functional classification of archeological sites found in the region and help to identify specific human activity areas. The results lead us to infer that many of the archeological sites were the result of multiple occupations that left a persistent pedological signature on the landscape. (C) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.