Obsidian Provenance and Transport in Central Patagonia(Chubut, Argentina). From the Early Holocene to Historical Contexts

CASTRO ESNAL, ANALÍA; PÉREZ DE MICOU, CECILIA; STERN, CHARLES

Buenos Aires

Simposio; 11th International Symposium on Knappable Materials. "From toolstone to stone tools"; 2017

IMHICIHU CONICET

Distribution of obsidian artifacts is an indicator of mobility and interaction between groups. Geochemical studies indicate that three main sources have been used in Chubut province (42° to 46°S): 1) Sacanana (Cerro Guacho), with a broad representation in sites from the north of Chubut; 2) Telsen (Sierra Negra), especially distributed in sites from the northeast of the province; and 3) Pampa del Asador (Santa Cruz province), recovered mainly from sites located to the south of parallel 44°. The finding of obsidian artifacts at great distances from their respective sources and the coexistence of different types of obsidian show a more complex scheme than a simple distribution pattern related to the relative proximity to each source. An update of the state of the information and new unpublished results from sites in SW Chubut are presented here and their implications for understanding the technological strategies and mobility circuits of hunter-gatherers are discussed, taking into account a broad chronological framework ranging from the early Holocene to the times of contact.