Archaeological Research at NW Patagonia (Argentina)

BELLELLI, CRISTINA TERESA; CARBALLIDO, MARIANA; FERNÁNDEZ, PABLO MARCELO; PODESTÁ, MERCEDES; SCHEINSOHN, VIVIAN

ANTIQUITY

Antiquity Publications Ltd

Lugar: Durham; Año: 2004 vol. 78 p. 1 - 6

0003-598X

Artículo sólo disponible on-line en http://antiquity.ac.uk/ProjGall/fernandez/index.htm Archaeological research in Comarca Andina del Paralelo 42º (CA42, NW Chubut Province and SW Río Negro Province, NW Patagonia, Argentina) had begun in 1995. At first the main concern was to record and preserve endangered rock art sites discovered in that area. Later, archaeological research was developed in order to answer questions about Andean Patagonian forests? role in past hunter-gatherers? adaptive strategies. Research was focused at the south of CA42, in Cholila locality. The first step comprised geomorphological, taphonomical and distributional studies as well as prospection and survey. As a forest/steppe ecotone, the area has severe visibility problems that merited the development of special methodologies. Eleven archaeological sites and many isolated artefacts were found. Rock art of these sites is included in the abstract and geometric style typical of the populations that occupied Patagonia in late Holocene. This style developed since 1400/1300 years BP until the European colonization. Lithic raw material and pigments sources studies were performed. The typological characteristics of artefacts and rock art style from these sites suggest that they all belong to the same temporal span. Rock-art and other archaeological materials show stylistic and technical similarities to steppe sites and neighboring forest sites of a comparable late Holocene age. This information plus obsidian procedence studies suggests the existence of wide circulation networks that relates this area with others.