Obsidian on the Island: First Geochemical Characterization for Isla Victoria, Nahuel Huapi National Park (Patagonia, Argentina)

SCARTASCINI, FEDERICO L.; FERNÁNDEZ, MARÍA VICTORIA; HAJDUK, ADAM; GLASCOCK, MICHAEL D.; MACDONALD, BRANDI L.; FALCO, JUAN I.; GAVUZZO, ALHUE BAY; BARBERENA, RAMIRO

Latin American Antiquity

Cambridge Core

Año: 2023 p. 1 - 6

1045-6635

We present the first geochemical data of archaeological obsidian for Isla Victoria, Nahuel Huapi National Park in Patagonia. XRF analyses were performed on 15 samples of obsidian-like rocks from the Puerto Tranquilo 1 site. Only five of the artifacts—all of which come from upper levels of the site—correspond to obsidian as a raw material. The provenance analysis indicates the use of obsidian sources located in the Andean Forest area of southern Neuquen Province. Based on these preliminary results, we propose a north–south circulation axis for this raw material. These geographic results are discussed in relation to the information available regionally.