Especies Vegetales Alóctonas como Recursos Arqueológicos en el Ambito Puneño

RODRÍGUEZ, MARÍA FERNANDA; MARTÍNEZ, JORGE G.

PUBLICACION ESPECIAL - ASOCIACION PALEONTOLOGICA ARGENTINA

ASOCIACIÓN PALEONTOLÓGICA ARGENTINA

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2001 vol. 8 p. 139 - 146

0328-347X

The results of analysis combining taxonomic and technological aspects about different vegetal fragments belonging to archaeological projectiles coming from Quebrada Seca 3 site (QS3), located in the Southern Puna (Province of Catamarca, Argentina) are presented. Based on these findings, this paper approaches some facts related to the supply and use of plant species by hunter-gatherer human groups who lived in this region. The extreme aridity conditions of the salty Puna played an important role in the conservation of different objects manufactured with vegetal raw material. The taxonomic analysis of the recovered material in the archaeological record of QS3, revealed the presence of two plant species which grow outside the Puna environment: Chusquealorentziana Griseb. and Salix humboldtiana Willd. The supply and use of these species date back to more than 7000 and 8600 years respectively whose natural characteristics show that they are adequate for the manufacture of the components of projectiles used for camelids hunting. The presence of these non-local species in the archaeological sites of the Puna, allows to propose the existence of extensive mobility circuits for these human groups and also of very wide and ancient social interchange nets.