Amazonian Dark Earth Formation in the Upper Xingu, Southern Amazonia, Brazil: Dissertation Research

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Anthrosols known as Amazonian dark earths (ADE) are a key component of the archaeological record. Anthropic soils, up to tens of hectares and depths of two meters or more, along with the artifact distributions and earthworks, are typically used to delimit prehistoric habitation sites in the Amazon. Analysis of the soils may be useful in determining activity areas in places where other material cultural remains are few or lacking and in complementing other archaeological data and interpretations. Under the supervision of Michael Heckenberger, Morgan Schmidt, PhD candidate at the University of Florida, will investigate processes that contribute to the variable formation of ADE in prehistoric, historically abandoned, and contemporary Amerindian settlements in the Upper Xingu region of SE Amazonia. ADE soils have attracted attention by researchers outside the field of archaeology because of their extraordinarily high fertility within a region characterized by low fertility soils. It is argued that ADE can provide information for understanding the potential fertility of tropical soils and efforts to develop sustainable landuse technologies, and reveal practices that maintained human settlements in the past. Analysis of the chemical and physical properties of anthrosols or soils that have been modified profoundly by human activities is steadily gaining importance as an ancillary technique in archaeology. Operating on the premise that different activities performed leave distinct differences in the relative levels of soil nutrients, soil data can provide valuable insights into the use of space in abandoned settlements, especially when samples are collected in an ethnoarchaeological context. Researchers have emphasized the utility of soil analysis for understanding the remains of households and outside activity areas particularly where artifacts are lacking. Soil analysis has the potential of being an efficient tool for archaeology being relatively rapid, inexpensive, and less intrusive than excavations. The research will contribute to ongoing archaeological work in the Upper Xingu by buttressing our understanding of the use of space, management of resources, and site formation.This project will generate a unique physical collection and set of data that was gathered from contemporary Amerindian villages and large prehistoric sites in the Upper Xingu. A portion of each soil sample will remain in a permanent reference collection at the Emilio Goeldi Museum (MPEG) in Brazil and collaborative research will be developed with colleagues from the MPEG and elsewhere. It is hoped that the data from this project will be useful for comparison with data from diverse archaeological sites throughout South America. Results will be presented to a wide audience of researchers, students, and indigenous people and published as a dissertation, monograph, online, in journals, and in conference proceedings. Schmidt previously trained six members of the Kuikuro Amerindian community to assist in field data collection and has arranged internships at the MPEG soils laboratory for five students from the Federal University of Para to assist in soil analysis, giving them training and participation in scientific research. The research also contributes to issues concerning conservation and development in tropical environments, tropical soil management, carbon sequestration of soils, and the empowerment of local Amerindians through participation in research and a better understanding of their culture history and resources.