Treatment of the dead amongst the Sambaquieiros, Tupinambá and Goitacá that occupied the “Região dos Lagos”, Rio de Janeiro State

Abstract

This paper intends to establish a comparative dimension amongst different cultural groups which have occupied the “Região dos Lagos”, at the Southeast shore of Brazil and to focus the study on the funerary ritual – in this case understood as a central aspect of social life. We present the colonization process of the region, considering it as a pilot area that keeps important information about the occupation of the east portion of South America. Thus, the study approaches colonization, social interaction and control of the territory related to the Sambaquieiro, Tupi and Macro-Jê groups and intends to link information deriving from archaeology, anthropology, history and the reports of the chroniclers.