Fernando J Astudillo, PhD | Universidad San Francisco de Quito (original) (raw)
Papers by Fernando J Astudillo, PhD
Environmental Archaeology
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2018
I analyzed phytoliths from soil profiles on San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos Islands to dete... more I analyzed phytoliths from soil profiles on San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos Islands to determine whether historical human impact and recent vegetation dynamics are visible in the phytolith record. I extracted phytoliths from soil samples taken from four test pits located at the village, an abandoned field, a forest, and an active agricultural field-all located within the former El Progreso plantation (AD 1860-1920). Changes in the ratio of tree to grass phytoliths with depth in all four samples suggest changes in vegetation composition from forest to open vegetation dominated by grasses, which reflects the removal of forest with colonization and the first permanent human occupation of the archipelago in the middle 19th century. This paper shows that the changes in vegetation brought about by colonization and land clearing for plantations are documented in the soil phytoliths record, and suggests that phytoliths can be used as an indicator of past vegetation change in future work on the historical ecology of the Galápagos archipelago.
The Routledge Handbook of Global Historical Archaeology, 2020
Historical Ecology and Archaeology in the Galápagos Islands explores human history in the Galápag... more Historical Ecology and Archaeology in the Galápagos Islands explores human history in the Galápagos Islands, which is today one of the world’s premier nature attractions. From its early beginnings, the Galápagos National Park connected a dual vision of biological conservation with responsible tourism. However, despite its popular perception as a pristine nature park, the archipelago has experienced protracted interactions with humans at least since its accidental discovery in 1535. This book contextualizes six years of interdisciplinary archaeological and historical research on San Cristóbal, the easternmost island in the archipelago. It focuses on the interior highland community of El Progreso and specifically the preserved vestiges of a 19th-century sugar plantation, the Hacienda El Progreso, which left the most intensive historic footprint of human activity in the islands. It did not do this alone, as other islands, particularly those with potable water sources, were varyingly im...
Historical Ecology and Archaeology in the Galápagos Islands
This chapter summarizes major events that occurred throughout an almost 500-year relationship bet... more This chapter summarizes major events that occurred throughout an almost 500-year relationship between humans and Galápagos. Specific attention focuses on how the changing interests of humans in the islands contributed to ecosystemic landscape transformation up to the end of the Second World War. The chapter historically contextualizes the nature of the changes that transpired through direct human interaction with relatively recently encountered island ecosystems, and how this interconnected relationship shifted through time within the context of changing political and economic circumstances. It sequentially details alleged pre-Columbian visitation, early and later colonial human encounters, Republican-period colonization, and early twentieth century activities in the archipelago. The current human geography in Galápagos is briefly described, followed by a discussion of landscape transformation and invasive exotic organisms throughout the archipelago.
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany
ACI Avances en Ciencias e Ingenierías
Native, endemic, and introduced vascular plants from the Galápagos Islands were processed for phy... more Native, endemic, and introduced vascular plants from the Galápagos Islands were processed for phytolith extraction. Modern plant specimens of 43 species were collected in the field considering the possible uses of these plant species during the first years of colonization of San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos (1860s). This comparative illustrated catalog is limited to test the production of phytoliths in useful endemic, native, and introduced plant taxa. The results provided the main elements to discriminate morphotypes from native and introduced plants in San Cristóbal. This catalog will guide future paleoethnobotanical research in the Galápagos and other archipelagos of the far eastern pacific islands.
Punishment & Society, 2021
Transportation to remote islands has been a way that authorities have dealt with criminals since ... more Transportation to remote islands has been a way that authorities have dealt with criminals since well before the birth of the modern state. What happens to those exiles once on the islands has varied greatly in different times and places. This paper explores the Galápagos plantation run from 1878 to 1904 by Manuel J. Cobos. His operation demonstrates that the patriarchal concept of the hacienda continued to play a key role in the disciplining of perceived criminality in Latin America in the late 19th century, outside of the roles of the military, the police, and penal institutions. The Galápagos example shows the overlaps and tensions between capitalist plantations and state penal colonies in their treatment of transported convicts in the 19th century.
The Routledge Handbook of Global Historical Archaeology, 2020
Historical ethnobotany has much to offer historical archaeologists. Using historical and arch- ae... more Historical ethnobotany has much to offer historical archaeologists. Using historical and arch- aeological methods to recover information about past human–plant relationships, we can infer foodways, agricultural practices, landscape use, and environmental interactions. These all tie in to current problems and themes of inquiry for historical archaeology, including identity, colonialism, plantation economies, landscape management, and urbanization, among others. Botanical subjects can also tie historical archaeology to current trends in food politics and food history, such as globalization, food security and sovereignty, “ingredients” biographies, and observations and responses to climate change.
In this chapter, we review major trends in floral studies within historical archaeology since 2000. In the first section, we outline sources of botanical information and present the opportun- ities and constraints offered by each method. In the sections that follow, historical ethnobotan- ical studies are discussed by theme, highlighting unique contributions that floral analyses can bring to historical archaeology.
ACI Avances en Ciencias e Ingenierías, 2020
Native, endemic, and introduced vascular plants from the Galápagos Islands were processed for phy... more Native, endemic, and introduced vascular plants from the Galápagos Islands were processed for phytolith extraction. Modern plant specimens of 43 species were collected in the field considering the possible uses of these plant species during the first years of colonization of San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos (1860s). This comparative illustrated catalog is limited to test the production of phytoliths in useful endemic, native, and introduced plant taxa. The results provided the main elements to discriminate morphotypes from native and introduced plants in San Cristóbal. This catalog will guide future paleoethnobotanical research in the Galápagos and other archipelagos of the far eastern Pacific islands.
Stratigraphic Unit 13 of Oscurusciuto Rockshelter (Ginosa, Taranto, Southern Italy) is a short Mo... more Stratigraphic Unit 13 of Oscurusciuto Rockshelter (Ginosa, Taranto, Southern Italy) is a short Mousterian palimpsest representing the first stable occupation of the site soon after the deposition of a thick layer of tephra (Mt. Epomeo Green Tuff - Ischia datable around 55 kya BP).
Different activities were identified by integrating the study of lithic finds, faunal remains, and the microarchaeology of combustion features. Additionally, geo-statistical analysis of these data has been carried out using a specifically designed geodatabase within a GIS platform.
Our results produced an articulated picture of this Neanderthal site as a tripartite location made of spatially segregated and integrated activity areas. A hearths' alignment (parallel to the rockshelter wall) divides the settled area into an inner and outer part. The inner part, between the hearths and the shelter wall, displays an abrupt rarefaction of the anthropic finds and was interpreted as a possible sleeping/resting area. In the outer part, several multipurpose activity areas have been identified, mostly associated with the combustion features. The Northern sector of the settlement appears devoted particularly to lithic production (to a lesser degree, activities related with lithic tools use and faunal processing took place). In the Southern sector the main activities carried out represent more intensive production and use of lithic tools and the butchering and consumption of animal resources. Additionally, in this sector evidence of space maintenance behaviour (cleaning up of working areas and refuse dumping) has been attested.
Quaternary Science Reviews, 2018
Stratigraphic Unit 13 of Oscurusciuto Rockshelter (Ginosa, Taranto, Southern Italy) is a short Mo... more Stratigraphic Unit 13 of Oscurusciuto Rockshelter (Ginosa, Taranto, Southern Italy) is a short Mousterian palimpsest representing the first stable occupation of the site soon after the deposition of a thick layer of tephra (Mt. Epomeo Green Tuff - Ischia datable around 55 kya BP).
Different activities were identified by integrating the study of lithic finds, faunal remains, and the microarchaeology of combustion features. Additionally, geo-statistical analysis of these data has been carried out using a specifically designed geodatabase within a GIS platform.
Our results produced an articulated picture of this Neanderthal site as a tripartite location made of spatially segregated and integrated activity areas. A hearths' alignment (parallel to the rockshelter wall) divides the settled area into an inner and outer part. The inner part, between the hearths and the shelter wall, displays an abrupt rarefaction of the anthropic finds and was interpreted as a possible sleeping/ resting area. In the outer part, several multipurpose activity areas have been identified, mostly associated with the combustion features. The Northern sector of the settlement appears devoted particularly to lithic production (to a lesser degree, activities related with lithic tools use and faunal processing took place). In the Southern sector the main activities carried out represent more intensive production and use of lithic tools and the butchering and consumption of animal resources. Additionally, in this sector evidence of space maintenance behaviour (cleaning up of working areas and refuse dumping) has been attested.
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2018
The initial relationships between the first human colonizers and the native vegetation of Isla Sa... more The initial relationships between the first human colonizers and the native vegetation of Isla San Cristóbal, Galápagos, were studied by the analyses of wood charcoal, plant macro-remains, phytoliths and historical records. Archaeological and modern botanical samples were collected from four archaeological sites within the former farmland of the 19th century Hacienda El Progreso, a sugar plantation located in the moist highlands of the island. The archaeobotanical remains show the use of native timber, the introduction of crops and weeds, some aspects of local diet, and evidence of vegetation clearance. Ecological impact is shown by the changes to the native vegetation caused by human colonization of the island and the expansion of agricultural land for the plantation enterprise. This paper provides a synthesis of the archaeobotanical study at El Progreso which forms a baseline for future research in the Galápagos islands.
A B S T R A C T I analyzed phytoliths from soil profiles on San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos... more A B S T R A C T I analyzed phytoliths from soil profiles on San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos Islands to determine whether historical human impact and recent vegetation dynamics are visible in the phytolith record. I extracted phy-toliths from soil samples taken from four test pits located at the village, an abandoned field, a forest, and an active agricultural field-all located within the former El Progreso plantation (AD 1860–1920). Changes in the ratio of tree to grass phytoliths with depth in all four samples suggest changes in vegetation composition from forest to open vegetation dominated by grasses, which reflects the removal of forest with colonization and the first permanent human occupation of the archipelago in the middle 19th century. This paper shows that the changes in vegetation brought about by colonization and land clearing for plantations are documented in the soil phytoliths record, and suggests that phytoliths can be used as an indicator of past vegetation change in future work on the historical ecology of the Galápagos archipelago.
Journal of …, Jan 1, 2010
Conference Presentations by Fernando J Astudillo, PhD
Environmental Archaeology
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2018
I analyzed phytoliths from soil profiles on San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos Islands to dete... more I analyzed phytoliths from soil profiles on San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos Islands to determine whether historical human impact and recent vegetation dynamics are visible in the phytolith record. I extracted phytoliths from soil samples taken from four test pits located at the village, an abandoned field, a forest, and an active agricultural field-all located within the former El Progreso plantation (AD 1860-1920). Changes in the ratio of tree to grass phytoliths with depth in all four samples suggest changes in vegetation composition from forest to open vegetation dominated by grasses, which reflects the removal of forest with colonization and the first permanent human occupation of the archipelago in the middle 19th century. This paper shows that the changes in vegetation brought about by colonization and land clearing for plantations are documented in the soil phytoliths record, and suggests that phytoliths can be used as an indicator of past vegetation change in future work on the historical ecology of the Galápagos archipelago.
The Routledge Handbook of Global Historical Archaeology, 2020
Historical Ecology and Archaeology in the Galápagos Islands explores human history in the Galápag... more Historical Ecology and Archaeology in the Galápagos Islands explores human history in the Galápagos Islands, which is today one of the world’s premier nature attractions. From its early beginnings, the Galápagos National Park connected a dual vision of biological conservation with responsible tourism. However, despite its popular perception as a pristine nature park, the archipelago has experienced protracted interactions with humans at least since its accidental discovery in 1535. This book contextualizes six years of interdisciplinary archaeological and historical research on San Cristóbal, the easternmost island in the archipelago. It focuses on the interior highland community of El Progreso and specifically the preserved vestiges of a 19th-century sugar plantation, the Hacienda El Progreso, which left the most intensive historic footprint of human activity in the islands. It did not do this alone, as other islands, particularly those with potable water sources, were varyingly im...
Historical Ecology and Archaeology in the Galápagos Islands
This chapter summarizes major events that occurred throughout an almost 500-year relationship bet... more This chapter summarizes major events that occurred throughout an almost 500-year relationship between humans and Galápagos. Specific attention focuses on how the changing interests of humans in the islands contributed to ecosystemic landscape transformation up to the end of the Second World War. The chapter historically contextualizes the nature of the changes that transpired through direct human interaction with relatively recently encountered island ecosystems, and how this interconnected relationship shifted through time within the context of changing political and economic circumstances. It sequentially details alleged pre-Columbian visitation, early and later colonial human encounters, Republican-period colonization, and early twentieth century activities in the archipelago. The current human geography in Galápagos is briefly described, followed by a discussion of landscape transformation and invasive exotic organisms throughout the archipelago.
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany
ACI Avances en Ciencias e Ingenierías
Native, endemic, and introduced vascular plants from the Galápagos Islands were processed for phy... more Native, endemic, and introduced vascular plants from the Galápagos Islands were processed for phytolith extraction. Modern plant specimens of 43 species were collected in the field considering the possible uses of these plant species during the first years of colonization of San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos (1860s). This comparative illustrated catalog is limited to test the production of phytoliths in useful endemic, native, and introduced plant taxa. The results provided the main elements to discriminate morphotypes from native and introduced plants in San Cristóbal. This catalog will guide future paleoethnobotanical research in the Galápagos and other archipelagos of the far eastern pacific islands.
Punishment & Society, 2021
Transportation to remote islands has been a way that authorities have dealt with criminals since ... more Transportation to remote islands has been a way that authorities have dealt with criminals since well before the birth of the modern state. What happens to those exiles once on the islands has varied greatly in different times and places. This paper explores the Galápagos plantation run from 1878 to 1904 by Manuel J. Cobos. His operation demonstrates that the patriarchal concept of the hacienda continued to play a key role in the disciplining of perceived criminality in Latin America in the late 19th century, outside of the roles of the military, the police, and penal institutions. The Galápagos example shows the overlaps and tensions between capitalist plantations and state penal colonies in their treatment of transported convicts in the 19th century.
The Routledge Handbook of Global Historical Archaeology, 2020
Historical ethnobotany has much to offer historical archaeologists. Using historical and arch- ae... more Historical ethnobotany has much to offer historical archaeologists. Using historical and arch- aeological methods to recover information about past human–plant relationships, we can infer foodways, agricultural practices, landscape use, and environmental interactions. These all tie in to current problems and themes of inquiry for historical archaeology, including identity, colonialism, plantation economies, landscape management, and urbanization, among others. Botanical subjects can also tie historical archaeology to current trends in food politics and food history, such as globalization, food security and sovereignty, “ingredients” biographies, and observations and responses to climate change.
In this chapter, we review major trends in floral studies within historical archaeology since 2000. In the first section, we outline sources of botanical information and present the opportun- ities and constraints offered by each method. In the sections that follow, historical ethnobotan- ical studies are discussed by theme, highlighting unique contributions that floral analyses can bring to historical archaeology.
ACI Avances en Ciencias e Ingenierías, 2020
Native, endemic, and introduced vascular plants from the Galápagos Islands were processed for phy... more Native, endemic, and introduced vascular plants from the Galápagos Islands were processed for phytolith extraction. Modern plant specimens of 43 species were collected in the field considering the possible uses of these plant species during the first years of colonization of San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos (1860s). This comparative illustrated catalog is limited to test the production of phytoliths in useful endemic, native, and introduced plant taxa. The results provided the main elements to discriminate morphotypes from native and introduced plants in San Cristóbal. This catalog will guide future paleoethnobotanical research in the Galápagos and other archipelagos of the far eastern Pacific islands.
Stratigraphic Unit 13 of Oscurusciuto Rockshelter (Ginosa, Taranto, Southern Italy) is a short Mo... more Stratigraphic Unit 13 of Oscurusciuto Rockshelter (Ginosa, Taranto, Southern Italy) is a short Mousterian palimpsest representing the first stable occupation of the site soon after the deposition of a thick layer of tephra (Mt. Epomeo Green Tuff - Ischia datable around 55 kya BP).
Different activities were identified by integrating the study of lithic finds, faunal remains, and the microarchaeology of combustion features. Additionally, geo-statistical analysis of these data has been carried out using a specifically designed geodatabase within a GIS platform.
Our results produced an articulated picture of this Neanderthal site as a tripartite location made of spatially segregated and integrated activity areas. A hearths' alignment (parallel to the rockshelter wall) divides the settled area into an inner and outer part. The inner part, between the hearths and the shelter wall, displays an abrupt rarefaction of the anthropic finds and was interpreted as a possible sleeping/resting area. In the outer part, several multipurpose activity areas have been identified, mostly associated with the combustion features. The Northern sector of the settlement appears devoted particularly to lithic production (to a lesser degree, activities related with lithic tools use and faunal processing took place). In the Southern sector the main activities carried out represent more intensive production and use of lithic tools and the butchering and consumption of animal resources. Additionally, in this sector evidence of space maintenance behaviour (cleaning up of working areas and refuse dumping) has been attested.
Quaternary Science Reviews, 2018
Stratigraphic Unit 13 of Oscurusciuto Rockshelter (Ginosa, Taranto, Southern Italy) is a short Mo... more Stratigraphic Unit 13 of Oscurusciuto Rockshelter (Ginosa, Taranto, Southern Italy) is a short Mousterian palimpsest representing the first stable occupation of the site soon after the deposition of a thick layer of tephra (Mt. Epomeo Green Tuff - Ischia datable around 55 kya BP).
Different activities were identified by integrating the study of lithic finds, faunal remains, and the microarchaeology of combustion features. Additionally, geo-statistical analysis of these data has been carried out using a specifically designed geodatabase within a GIS platform.
Our results produced an articulated picture of this Neanderthal site as a tripartite location made of spatially segregated and integrated activity areas. A hearths' alignment (parallel to the rockshelter wall) divides the settled area into an inner and outer part. The inner part, between the hearths and the shelter wall, displays an abrupt rarefaction of the anthropic finds and was interpreted as a possible sleeping/ resting area. In the outer part, several multipurpose activity areas have been identified, mostly associated with the combustion features. The Northern sector of the settlement appears devoted particularly to lithic production (to a lesser degree, activities related with lithic tools use and faunal processing took place). In the Southern sector the main activities carried out represent more intensive production and use of lithic tools and the butchering and consumption of animal resources. Additionally, in this sector evidence of space maintenance behaviour (cleaning up of working areas and refuse dumping) has been attested.
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2018
The initial relationships between the first human colonizers and the native vegetation of Isla Sa... more The initial relationships between the first human colonizers and the native vegetation of Isla San Cristóbal, Galápagos, were studied by the analyses of wood charcoal, plant macro-remains, phytoliths and historical records. Archaeological and modern botanical samples were collected from four archaeological sites within the former farmland of the 19th century Hacienda El Progreso, a sugar plantation located in the moist highlands of the island. The archaeobotanical remains show the use of native timber, the introduction of crops and weeds, some aspects of local diet, and evidence of vegetation clearance. Ecological impact is shown by the changes to the native vegetation caused by human colonization of the island and the expansion of agricultural land for the plantation enterprise. This paper provides a synthesis of the archaeobotanical study at El Progreso which forms a baseline for future research in the Galápagos islands.
A B S T R A C T I analyzed phytoliths from soil profiles on San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos... more A B S T R A C T I analyzed phytoliths from soil profiles on San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos Islands to determine whether historical human impact and recent vegetation dynamics are visible in the phytolith record. I extracted phy-toliths from soil samples taken from four test pits located at the village, an abandoned field, a forest, and an active agricultural field-all located within the former El Progreso plantation (AD 1860–1920). Changes in the ratio of tree to grass phytoliths with depth in all four samples suggest changes in vegetation composition from forest to open vegetation dominated by grasses, which reflects the removal of forest with colonization and the first permanent human occupation of the archipelago in the middle 19th century. This paper shows that the changes in vegetation brought about by colonization and land clearing for plantations are documented in the soil phytoliths record, and suggests that phytoliths can be used as an indicator of past vegetation change in future work on the historical ecology of the Galápagos archipelago.
Journal of …, Jan 1, 2010