Ceramists settlements in the Peruaçu river valley (MG).

Abstract

This paper describes the artifacts from recent prehistoric populations that lived in Peruaçu Valley (Central Brazil). Archaeological levels from the two latest millenia have provided households, graves and vegetal depositories. Bone, ceramic, lithic and vegetal artifacts have been found. One lithic industry, associated with “Una” ceramics, shows little and atypical plain flakes and some notched scrapers. The latest lithic industry in the shelters is much more characterized, with big unifacially retouched flakes and some bifacial large instruments (micro use-wear shows both have been used to work wood). Tupiguarani sites have been found only in the upper part of the valley, but some of theirs ceramic wares may appear in few shelters. As three traditions can be seen from the artifact analysis, three late rock art traditions exist in this region and would tentatively be assigned to the same populations that inhabited Peruaçu valley during the “ceramic period” until neobrazilian occupation in XVIIth Century.