Lithic taphonomy in desert environments: advances from Patagonia (Southern South America)

BORRAZZO, K.

Valle de Uco

Conferencia; 4th Southern Desert Conference; 2014

Universidad Nacional de Cuyo y Laboratorio de Paleoecología Humana (Mendoza, Argentina)

Due to their durability, lithic artifacts are the most well represented archaeological remains in Patagonian desert environments. Consequently, the reconstruction of hunter-gatherer behavior is often based on the study of those materials. Here we claim that this general situation emphasizes the need of incorporating a taphonomic perspective in lithic artifact analysis. Lithic taphonomy as a framework focused on the study of the record (taphonomic effects) of natural and cultural processes acting upon lithics from their deposition until their recovery provides insightful information about assemblage formation history. In particular, it may highlight taphonomic bias on the technological structure, composition, and spatial distribution of lithic assemblage, thus conditioning our behavioral interpretations. In this presentation we draw the main taphonomic trends for lithic assemblages in Patagonian desert environments (≤400 mm annual rainfall) from actualistic and archaeological research carried out in several geomorphic settings (sand and clay dune fields, temporary shallow lakes, talus). Taphonomic indicators associated with the main agents and processes are characterized and discussed. Beyond its regional contribution, we consider this study is also relevant to the broader realm of desert environment research because it stresses the need of searching and isolating taphonomic patterns for accomplishing more adjusted interpretations of past human behavior.