Microffossils for assessing the use as projectile points or knives of archaeological artefacts from Quebrada Seca 3 site, Southern Argentinean Puna (ca. 5000-4500 years BP)

BABOT, MARÍA DEL PILAR; HOCSMAN, SALOMÓN; CATTANEO, GABRIELA ROXANA

Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires)

Encuentro; 7th Internacional Meeting on Phytolith Research and 4th Southamerican Meeting on Phytolith Research; 2008

Centro de Geología de Costas y del Cuaternario, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Society for Phytolith Research y Grupo de Estudios Fitolíticos Aplicados del Cono Sur

Several lithic artefacts from hunter-gatherer occupations of Quebrada Seca 3 site (Antofagasta de la Sierra, Southern Argentinean Puna, between ca. 5000-4700 years BP), are analyzed. These stone tools have recently been defined as stemmed projectile points were the limbs were intensively maintained resulting in asymmetric shapes (Hocsman 2006). Previously, it was proposed the use of these artefacts as knifes because their morphology when the artefacts where discarded (Aschero 1988, Aschero et al. 1991). Trying to establish a more complete version of the life history of these artefacts, from projectile points to knifes, as it was suggested by techno-typological analysis, we are developing a research design that includes several analytical microscopic techniques to identify the preserved uses. Preliminary information obtained though use-wear analysis and compositional study of macroscopic residues in limbs and stem, indicates the processing of plant material and the use of plant adhesives for hafting. In this paper, we present the results obtained from the microfossil record sampled from active edges and stems to complement and cross-checking previous data.