Diferenciación sexual en la vida y en la muerte: la reproducción social en las Sociedades Cazadoras - Recolectoras - Pescadoras del extremo sur del Continente Americano

Abstract

This doctoral thesis focuses on the analysis of social norms, and specifically on the sexual division of labour between hunter-gatherer-fisher societies through the study of funerary practices. Norms, like sexual division of labour, are neither intangible nor immaterial and are shaped by the relationships between men and women. The theoretical context and methodology developed in this thesis are searching for a way to access the differences in hunter-gatherers' societies. To this end, the archaeological materialisation of funerary practices and their final deposition are put under research. This study is carried out through an ethno-archaeological approach. This approach involves the dialectical confrontation between theoretical developments on one side, and the archaeological practice on the other, as well as the use of ethnography in known historical hunter- gatherers' societies. _x000D_ _x000D_ The present research is focused on three historical societies from the southernmost tip of the American continent: the Kawésqar, the Yámana and the Selk'nam, as well as their respective zones of occupation. In all three cases, the ethnographic data provides information about the strict sexual division of labour and the underestimation of women, both considered necessary factors for this study._x000D_ _x000D_ At first, a historiographical review of the theoretical approaches to the matter of death and their practical applications in archaeology are discussed. The different ideas, arising from anthropology, sociology, bioanthropology and archaeology are critically analysed. This way, the theoretical origins, approaches and current status of theory in mortuary practices are contextualised. The following section focuses on the ethno-archaeological study of the societies of the southernmost tip of the American continent from an ethnographic and archaeological perspective. The study of social organization, sexual division and funerary practices has been carried out based on ethnographical data. A bibliographic review of the archaeological contexts and materials recovered by the different areas occupied by these societies was ultimately, carried out._x000D_ _x000D_ In summary, this thesis allows us to discuss and answer a main question: Is it possible to access the knowledge of social norms through the study of funeral practices in hunter-gatherers' societies? The exploration of the answer is based on an ethnoarchaeological approach with the aim of shaping a theoretical and methodological structure relevant to the archaeological study of past societies. The results show that it is possible to get to know the sexual division of labour in hunter-gatherers' societies through the research of funerary practices and the materials associated to them. The results have, so far, shown evidence of sexual division of labour between men and women even in past societies.

Date of Award	12 Apr 2021
Original language	Spanish
Supervisor	Jordi Estévez Escalera (Tutor)