THE STUDY OF ROCK ART ENGRAVINGS THROUGH LITHIC TECHNOLOGIES: THE VILLAVIL 2 SITE (HUALFIN VALLEY, CATAMARCA, ARGENTINA).

LYNCH VIRGINIA; LYNCH JULIETA

LITHIC TECHNOLOGY

Taylor & Francis

Año: 2018 vol. 43 p. 71 - 83

The rock art research related to Late Regional Developments and Inca Period in the North-west of Argentina (NWA) have been commonly focused on the iconographic, temporal or significance studies and few are related to the production context and stone tools used in this process. The following paper contributes to the study of the engraving techniques production in the northern area of the Hualfín Valley (Prov. De Catamarca, Argentina), based on the analysis of the operating chains, including the lithic materials associated and their functional determination. Previous analysis recognized that most of the motifs identified are figurative zoomorphos and that would be related to Inca Period and some association with Belén / Santamariana iconography. These images were mainly created by removing part of the rock surface by pounding and in a lesser extent; incisions and scraping techniques were also recorded in the production of these petroglyphs.The functional analysis of the lithic materials associated, allows confirming the kinematics employ and their relation in the production process. The analysis carried out also identify that the artifacts used in this process would have expeditious designs and relatively abrupt working angles.