About TAAS
Scope, scientific rationale, thematic axes, and the format of a workshop in the strict sense — small, discussion-oriented, and slow by design.
4th TAAS · Porto Alegre, Brazil
A science to a world in changes
Welcome
The Workshop on Actualistic Taphonomy in South America (TAAS) brings together researchers and students interested in the processes that shape and preserve the palaeontological and archaeological records.
Across four editions the meeting has consolidated a South American perspective on actualistic taphonomy — integrating field research, experimental approaches, and dialogue among research groups across the continent. From coastal plains and lagoons to sambaquis and Patagonian rivers, the region offers a natural laboratory for asking how biological remains become the record we read.
The fourth edition returns to Brazil, hosted at the Centro Cultural of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, in Porto Alegre, from 12 to 14 May 2027.
Timeline
Submission opens in November 2026. The programme is published after notification of acceptance.
Explore
Scope, scientific rationale, thematic axes, and the format of a workshop in the strict sense — small, discussion-oriented, and slow by design.
From a session in Mendoza in 2014 to Porto Alegre in 2027 — three editions, three countries, and the publications that came out of them.
How to reach the Centro Cultural, where to stay, and what to expect from Porto Alegre in May — from the airport to the coastal field sites.
Support
TAAS is institutionally supported by the Centro de Estudos Costeiros, Limnológicos e Marinhos (CECLIMAR) of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Previous editions have been funded by CAPES and CNPq.
Participation in the 4th TAAS is free of charge. Registration is required for planning and certification purposes.