Early human occupation in the southern part of the Deseado Massif (Patagonia, Argentina).

NORA VIVIANA FRANCO; PABLO AMBRÚSTOLO; MARILINA MARTUCCI; GEORGE BROOK; MARÍA VIRGINIA MANCINI; NATALIA CIRIGLIANO

Current Research in the Pleistocene

Center for the Study of the First Americans. Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University.

Lugar: Texas, Estados Unidos.; Año: 2010 p. 13 - 16

8755-898X

Human occupation sites dating to the Pleistocene-Holocene transition have been identified in the Deseado Massif, Patagonia (e.g., Cardich et al. 1973; Miotti et al. 1999; Miotti and Salemme 2003, 2004; Paunero 2000a, 2000b, 2009; Paunero et al. 2007). However, south of the Massif, the earliest evidence of human occupation dates to the early Holocene, ca. 8900 RCYBP at El Verano (Durán et al. 2003) and ca. 8050 RCYBP at La Martita Cave 4 (Aguerre 2003). There has been no previous systematic archaeological research in the Deseado Massif south of El Verano and La Martita Cave 4 sites. However, this area is crucial to our understanding of the initial peopling of southern Patagonia because, although the Massif contains numerous caves as well as excellent rocks for flintknapping (sensu Aragón and Franco 1997; Callahan 1979), similar resources are scarce to the south (e.g., Echeveste 2005; Franco and Cirigliano 2009; Franco et al. 2009; Panza and Franchi 2002; Panza and Haller 2002; Panza and Marin 1998; Russo and Flores 1972; Russo et al. 1980).