Sambaquis (shell mounds) of the Brazilian coast

Abstract The Brazilian shell mounds called sambaquis have been well known since the 16th century when clergy, travelers, and members of the colonial administration wrote the first narratives of Portuguese America. However, it was only during the second quarter of the 19th century that, under the orders of the Imperial Government, the first scientific expeditions carried out systematic research on these archaeological sites. The sambaquis of Brazil are found in the costal regions of the south and southeast, from the coast of what is today Espirito Santo State to the Rio Grande do Sul State. The oldest dates come from the states Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, indicating that there was an occupation as far back as the 6th century BC. The sites are to be found in coves, sandy plains dominated by beach-ridges, rocky outcrops, mangrove groves, lagoons, estuaries or large bays. This landscape variability is equally expressed in the material culture and resource exploitation, which are characterized by a variety of adaptive strategies and diversity between the various cultural contexts.