Andean summer-break: rock art insights on information networks in the desert-highland interface in Northern Patagonia (South America)

GUADALUPE ROMERO VILLANUEVA; GUSTAVO LUCERO; RAMIRO BARBERENA

Valcamonica

Congreso; 20th International Rock Art Congress IFRAO; 2018

IFRAO

We have been carrying out research to assess the scale of human mobility and ecological complementarity across southern Andean deserts and highlands during the late Holocene. This macro-region is located at the western limit of the South American Arid Diagonal and presents high topographic and ecologic variations with a marked seasonality. Specifically, in this study we address rock art spatial distributions to delve into the information networks unfolded by hunter gatherers over this landscape during the last 3000 years. We develop a GIS spatial analysis to model the connectivity between different ecological contexts based ongeographical and ecological variables. The degree of connectivity will be assessed according to the seasonal availability of these environments. Our results show a major hierarchical position of the seasonal highland environments in information networks when compared to other biogeographical contexts. We suggest that one key reason for their past importance is related to their potential for population convergence, supported by crucial features: trans-Andean circulation, pastures with high summer productivity and access to primary outcrops of obsidian. Onthis scenario, the selection of rock art as the preferred communication device may have been useful to multiple ends: signal circulation paths, enhance information exchange and assure social interaction among generally dispersed human groups, even in the absence of face-to-face interaction.