Sealing exploitation in Tierra del Fuego:

a first approach from Historical Archaeology

Abstract

In the mid-18th century, commercial sealing transformed itself into a global business. The extractive nature of sealing made the hunters continually expand their range of action. Therefore, from the late-18th century onward, sealers actively operated on different areas of the South Atlantic. Commercial sealing in Tierra del Fuego achieved significant proportions in the 19th century. Nevertheless, studies carried out so far are relatively scarce and fragmentary. In this paper we will present the first steps of a research project that intends to systematically study the sealing industry in Tierra del Fuego from the perspective of historical archaeology. On the one hand, we will refer to the study of unpublished documents. On the other, we will consider the analysis of previously collected or excavated archaeological materials, and the planning and execution of fieldwork activities in a limited area of the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego.