Characterisation of phytoliths from the stratigraphic layers of the Sambaqui da Tarioba (Rio das Ostras, RJ, Brazil)

摘要

Highlights?“Sambaqui da Tarioba” was occupied in a period between 3880(160) and 3530(130) cal y BP.?Predominant phytolith types in shell mound were globular granulate and bulliform.?Phytolith indexes suggested an environment of forests with drought stress.?Shell mounds can be a good proxy on Holocene biodiversity and environments.AbstractSince the beginning of the Holocene, people have occupied the Central-south Brazilian coast, as it was a very productive estuarine environment. Living as fishers and mollusc gatherers, they built prehistoric shellmounds known as sambaquis, which can still be found today, constituting an important testimony of palaeodiversity and Brazilian prehistory. The aim of this research is to describe and characterize phytoliths from “Sambaqui da Tarioba”, a shellmound situated in Rio das Ostras (Rio de Janeiro) in order to infer palaeoenvironmental information. The soil was