Las Cargas: Characterization of a Southern Andean Obsidian Source and Its Prehistoric Use

SALGÁN, MARÍA LAURA; GARVEY , RAVEN; NEME, GUSTAVO; GIL ADOLFO; GIESSO, MARTÍN; GLASCOCK MICHAEL; DURÁN, VÍCTOR

GEOARCHAEOLOGY-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL

JOHN WILEY & SONS INC

Lugar: New York; Año: 2015 vol. 30 p. 139 - 150

0883-6353

The importance of obsidian from the northern Patagonian source at Las Cargas is reflected in its early use (ca. 8000 years BP) and extensive geographic diffusion, but is nonetheless surprising in light of the source?s high altitude?in the Andes Cordillera?which makes it both difficult to access under ideal conditions and inaccessible for much of the year. Prehistoric use of the Las Cargas source can inform us about mobility, subsistence choices, economics of stone consumption, trade and territoriality. Here we present the results of various lines of evidence (surface survey, geochemical ? XRF and INAA? and artifact morphometric analyses and obsidian hydration dating) used to characterize obsidian from Las Cargas and its prehistoric use throughout the Holocene. Results indicate that Las Cargas obsidian occurs at the source as blocks and nodules, which are chemically homogeneous and of variable quality. Use of the source was nearly continuous through time and the primary knapping activities performed there were the production of blanks and preparation of cores.