Daniel Schávelzon – författare

A discussion of the historical archaeology of one of the largest cities in the world following four centuries of marginal positioning in regard to empires, trade routes, and the production and accumulation of wealth. The author describes how Buenos Aires came to achieve its current status as a major urban metropolis through an analysis of settlement patterns, architecture, the lifestyle of its residents, and the access to commodities of different social groups.

A discussion of the historical archaeology of one of the largest cities in the world following four centuries of marginal positioning in regard to empires, trade routes, and the production and accumulation of wealth. The author describes how Buenos Aires came to achieve its current status as a major urban metropolis through an analysis of settlement patterns, architecture, the lifestyle of its residents, and the access to commodities of different social groups.

A discussion of the historical archaeology of one of the largest cities in the world following four centuries of marginal positioning in regard to empires, trade routes, and the production and accumulation of wealth. The author describes how Buenos Aires came to achieve its current status as a major urban metropolis through an analysis of settlement patterns, architecture, the lifestyle of its residents, and the access to commodities of different social groups.

This well illustrated volume presents in its introduction a personal history of Daniel Schávelzon’s experience of Easter Island during his youth before collecting all the papers and work he produced in 2014 leading up to his retirement.

Arqueologia de la Segunda Guerra Mundial en Sudamerica: el asentamiento Nazi de Teyú Cuaré reports on a remarkable discovery and a pioneering piece of research in the historical archaeology of Latin America. In the jungle on the border between Argentina and Paraguay, near the bank of the Paraná River, an unknown settlement was found nestled between rocky cliffs. While there were local references to it having been the refuge of Nazi General Martin Bormann, studies showed that it had indeed been built to house someone at the end of World War II; this is impossible, however, for Bormann who died in Berlin. An extensive archaeological and historical study of the site and its environment allowed it to be dated to between 1943 and 1946 and revealed that it was made by local people to house a family whose stay was of a brief duration. The constructions are of very poor quality, plain stacked stones, but following a modern, complex plan arranged according to contemporary bourgeois needs, and foreign to the wooden and thatch architecture of the region. It is possible that pre-existing remains were used and that after their abandonment there were sporadic occupants. The finds are characterised by exotic luxuries (European porcelain, cut glass, silverware and weapons), German coins and coins from the occupied countries of Western Europe, and even papers and photographs hidden in a wall.

Este libro, un poco insólito en nuestro medio tan urbano, occidental aunque de ciudades trazadas en base a grillas reticuladas, y en una Facultad en que ha primado el pensamiento y la reflexión basada en cánones externos al continente, trata no sólo sobre las ciudades sino sobre la forma en que se construyó el conocimiento sobre ellas, de las personas y mecanismos intelectuales que lentamente fueron colocando los ladrillos necesarios para edificar esa estructura, a veces endeble por cierto, pero que ya existe; dicho en forma simple: cómo se logró que unas ruinas desconocidas para Occidente fueran entendidas, comprendidas e interpretadas; y de los errores, los caminos recorridos inútilmente y las causas de estos desvíos. ¿En qué medida los estudios recientes sobre los asentamientos y el territorio maya sufren de los mismos problemas que los estudios sobre la estructura interna de todas las ciudades prehispánicas? Este texto intenta revisar el recorrido de estos estudios, sus resultados y mostrar lo que se ha logrado y lo que conlleva como carga historiográfica producto de la misma evolución del conocimiento tanto arqueológico como de historia urbana y de la arquitectura. Muestra cómo algunos conceptos relacionados con las formas del uso social del espacio surgieron y se aceptaron; y cómo, a pesar de la información arqueológica contraria ya existente en ese entonces, se fueron igualmente difundiendo. Fue necesario mucho trabajo y medio siglo para lograr romper con eso y aceptar la compleja urbanización de estas grandes ciudades, para luego comenzar a estudiar su entorno y su territorio. Esta obra trata de revisar estos problemas y entender así el estado actual del tema.