Lithic micro- wear analysis of Late Holocene tools from Laguna Azul Locality (Somuncurá Plateau, Río Negro, Argentina)

LYNCH VIRGINIA; TERRANOVA ENRIQUE

Congreso; 11th Symposium on Knappable Materials; 2017

The Laguna Azul locality is located in the northeastern area of the Somuncurá plateau (Río Negro Province, Argentina). This plateau is a basaltic cover with numerous basins with ephemeral lagoons between these basins. The Laguna Azul is located at about 1,179 m.a.s.l.The archaeological evidence in this area consists of stone structures (blinds), rock art and different surface materials. In the excavation carried out within one of these parapets, lithic, pottery and faunal remains were recovered, and Late-Holocene ages were obtained from four samples.This paper focuses on the lithic materials (mainly end scrapers) recovered from Laguna Azul. The study allowed us to infer the use of these tools on different materials, as well as to understand technological decisions on their production. This analysis constitutes a starting point to understand the functionality of these structures, considered as places equipped in advance for their reuse, and also to propose possible mobility circuits in the Somuncurá plateau, taking into account that the lagoons were places frequently visited and inhabited during the Late Holocene.