Lithic resources and home range in Southern Mendoza, Argentina

SALVADOR PAULIDES; LAURA SALGÁN ; GUSTAVO NEME

Denton

Conferencia; 34th Great Basin Anthropological Conference; 2012

Great Basin Anthropological Association

Recent research in the south of Mendoza has located a wide number of lithic sources. Technological and provenance studies of stone tools in different Cordillera areas (highlands, intermontainous valleys, piedmont) and Payunia volcanic field, point out both spatial and temporal differences in the use of these sources. Its integration may allow us to discuss aspects related with mobility, home range, exchange networks and technological strategies in the regional occupation process. During the end of late Holocene (ca. 2000 years BP), a predominant use of non-local lithic resources occurs in the highlands, while local resources use is more evident in La Payunia. As a general phenomenon at a regional scale, there is a slight integration of these areas into the exploitation and exchange network systems on distances further than 200 kilometers from the sources.