Paleoethnobotany of vegetal macroremains of the entangled fiber type found in the sambaqui Cubatão I, Joinville – Santa Catarina State

Abstract

Studies with biological testimonies have been a great tool to understand the way of life of past populations. The present study has as objective to identify taxonomically plant species used in the preterit and classified as fibrous artifacts. These artifacts were collected in exposed profile of the site, custodied in the collection of the Archaeological Museum of Sambaqui of Joinville (MASJ), analyzed by standard methods of plant anatomy and identified by comparison with reference collection of the current flora obtained in the archeological site surroundings. The fibers were identified as belonging to plants of the genera Philodendron (Araceae), which are known popularly as lianes. The occurrence of these plants at the archaeological site suggests the presence  of surrounding forests and paleoecological conditions similar to our time.