Moving obsidian: the case of Antofagasta de la Sierra basin (Southern Argentinean Puna) during the late middle and late Holocene

ESCOLA, PATRICIA S.; HOCSMAN, SALOMÓN; BABOT, M. DEL PILAR

QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2016

1040-6182

This paper presents the results of XRF analysis regarding the provenience of 118 obsidian artefacts from archaeological sites of the Antofagasta de la Sierra basin (Catamarca province Argentina) during the late middle and late Holocene (ca.4500-1100 BP). The time span considered encompasses a local process of gradual transformation of hunter-gatherer/early agro-pastoral groups to consolidated agro-pastoral societies. For this study, non-destructive elemental analysis of obsidian artefacts was conducted using two different X-ray fluorescence spectrometers (ED-XRF). This information was then supplemented by previous provenience results performed on 59 obsidian archaeological artefacts of the same area. A comparative synthesis of chemical and macroscopic characterization of five obsidian sources located in southern Argentinean Puna is also presented. The provenance of archaeological materials was assigned by comparison with twelve Argentine sources known at present. On this bases, obsidian regional circulation during the considered time span and differential distribution and use of this raw material are discussed. Furthermore, this obsidian research allows support the occurrence of exchange networks based on use of extra-regional different obsidian sources located in northern Puna.