Ce projet a comme objectif général de participer au développement et de tester le potentiel de la méthode d’analyse par fluorescence aux rayons X du laboratoire de caractérisation non destructrice de l’Université de Montréal, en procédant à la caractérisation chimique de cherts provenant de deux carrières distinctes, exploitées à diverses périodes au cours de la préhistoire, soit celle de La Martre (DhDm-8, Gaspésie) et celle du site CkEe-28 (Témiscouata). En fonction des comportements de chacun des éléments, six d’entre eux furent sélectionnés pour effectuer la caractérisation, parmi lesquels on compte trois éléments majeurs (Si, Al, Fe) et trois éléments traces (Ba, La, Ce). D’un point de vue méthodologique, les résultats confirment que l’appareillage du laboratoire est apte à procéder à ce genre d’analyse non destructrice, tandis que sur le plan archéométrique, il s’est avéré possible de discriminer les cherts sur la base de graphiques et d’une analyse statistique discriminante. Afin de vérifier si cette caractérisation est utile et pertinente dans un cadre archéologique, l’analyse d’artéfacts en chert provenant des sites de l’anse à la Vache (DaEi-6, île Verte), Turcotte-Lévesque (DaEi-8, île Verte) et de Rimouski (DcEd-1) fut aussi effectuée dans le but de localiser l’un ou l’autre des cherts au sein des assemblages. Les résultats démontrent que la caractérisation est fonctionnelle dans un cadre archéologique, puisque les cherts des carrières de La Martre et Touladi furent repérés sur chacun des sites, à l’exception du site de Rimouski, où seul le chert Touladi semble présent. / The main objective of this project is to test, and to participate in the development of the non-destructive energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence chemical characterization method developed at the “Laboratoire de caractérisation non destructive de l’Université de Montréal”. To do so, I analyzed chert originating from two different prehistoric quarries, the La Martre quarry DhDm-8, Gaspé Peninsula, and that of quarry CkEe-28, Témiscouata, Québec. Both quarries were exploited intermittently from the Late PaleoIndian through the Archaic and into the Woodland periods. The six elements involved in the characterization, three major elements (Si, Al, Fe) and three trace elements (Ba, La, Ce), were selected because of their specific features. On one hand, results confirm that the Université de Montréal EDXRF analyzer is able to analyze with precision solid rock chips. On the other hand, by using bivariate and ternary plots, as well as discriminant analysis, I was able to distinguish one chert from the other. In order to ensure the validity of the chemical analysis, archaeological samples from sites on the St. Lawrence Estuary including Rimouski (DcEd-1), l’Anse à la Vache and Turcotte-Lévesque (DaEi-6 and DaEi-8) were tested and compared to the results for the quarry samples. Results show that the characterizatoin can be applied on archaeological artefacts since both cherts were located on every sites, except for Rimouski, where only Touladi chert was present. / En raison de la grande résolution des photographies des échantillons, celles-ci se trouvent dans un fichier complémentaire, puisque les conditions de forme imposées ne permettaient pas l'affichage intégral de ces images au sein du mémoire.

A região de Lagoa Santa é mundialmente famosa pela quantidade, qualidade e antiguidade dos remanescentes esqueletais humanos nela encontrados. Entretanto, muito pouco é conhecido sobre as práticas mortuárias dos grupos que ocuparam a região. A versão vigente na literatura é que essas eram extremamente simples, expeditas e homogêneas. Na presente dissertação esse quadro é questionado. A partir da descrição dos 26 sepultamentos encontrados na Lapa do Santo, foi possível determinar que diferentes padrões funerários se sucederam ao longo do Holoceno. Portanto, as práticas mortuárias da região não apresentam a alegada homogeneidade cronológica. Dentre os padrões de sepultamento identificados no sítio, o de número 1 se destaca não só pela sua antiguidade (8800-8200 AP), mas por apresentar uma forte ênfase na manipulação do corpo, incluindo o caso de decapitação mais antigo do Novo Mundo. Portanto, o registro da Lapa do Santo indica um quadro muito mais complexo e sofisticado para a paisagem mortuária da região de Lagoa Santa do que aquele proposto pela literatura. Mais do que isso, mostra que, ao contrário do que se imaginava, a ênfase na manipulação do corpo no início do Holoceno não era uma característica limitada à região andina. / The Lagoa Santa region is famous for the quantity, quality and antiquity of its human skeletal remains. However, little is known about the mortuary practices of those who inhabited the region. According to literature this practices were very simple, expedient and homogeneous. In this dissertation, this scenario is challenged. Based on the descriptions of 26 human burials found in Lapa do Santo it was established that several distinct burial patterns occurred in the site during Holocene. Thereafter, the idea that in Lagoa Santa the mortuary practices were chronologically homogeneous can no longer be supported. Among the different burial patterns indentified in this site Pattern 1 highlights not only for its antiquity (8800-8200 BP) but also because it presents a strong emphasis in the manipulation of the body, including the oldest case of decapitation ever recorded in the New World. Thereafter, the burials from Lapa do Santo points to a more complex scenario for the mortuary practices in the region of Lagoa Santa than was previously though. Besides, it shows that contrary to was once believed, the emphasis on body manipulation during Early Holocene was not restricted to the Andean region, as was once thought. The mortuary practices of pre-historic hunter-gatherers from Lagoa Santa region: a case study of the Santo Rockshelter archaeological site.

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