From fossils to fables, a regional bestiary of Northwest Argentina

Inspired by medieval codices, this project proposes the creation of a regional bestiary focused on the native fauna of Santiago del Estero and the northwestern region of Argentina (NOA). Integrating archaeological evidence, local myths, and past and present religious beliefs, the aim is to (re)construct a symbolic cartography in which each species is described not only in biological terms but also as cultural agents with ritual, moral, pedagogical, and narrative attributes. The theoretical-methodological proposal is framed within landscape archaeology (Tilley, 1994) and seeks to combine quantitative osteological analysis (NISP, MNI) and qualitative analysis (traumatology, cut marks), together with ethnographic studies aimed at preserving living memories of traditional uses and stories surrounding the vast diversity of fauna in the Chaco-Santiago region. The bestiary is structured in illustrated files that include a biological and archaeological description while highlighting mythical attributes that operate in the identity construction of a people and a culture. As a result, we hope to generate an interdisciplinary tool for teaching and heritage dissemination and to provide an alternative interpretative model that shows how the human–animal interrelationship is at the core of symbolic practices that shape the memory and cultural identity of Santiago del Estero. This bestiary aims not only to rescue species and stories but also to demonstrate the continuous coconstruction of meanings between humans and nonhumans over time.