Graves, beads, and trade in Northwest Argentina: first ED-XRF characterization of exceptionally shaped materials

SAMPIETRO VATTUONE, M. M.; PEÑA MONNÉ, J. L.; MARTÍNEZ STAGNARO, S.; GARCÍA GIMÉNEZ, R.; ROLDÁN, J.; MALDONADO, M. G.

ARQUEOLOGÍA (Buenos Aires)

Universidad de Buenos Aires - FFyL

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2017 vol. 23 p. 27 - 43

0327-5159

Tafi Valley has a deep-rooted archaeological research tradition in Northwest Argentina. Most ubiquitous archaeological settlements are from Formative Period (500 BC - 1000 AC), and they have been studied from several perspectives. This article presents the results obtained from the materials recovered from a grave of a Formative residential unit. Non-destructive analyses were performed using ED-XRF technique to characterize exceptionally formatted beads dated to 1560 ± 35 BP. They were made of chrysocolla, variscite, and turquoise, all them allochthonous in the valley. These results indicate that Tafí Valley was included in the caravan trade route across Northwest Argentina as one of the eastern limits of this circulation pattern during the early Formative.