Characterization of archaeological ceramics from Argentine northern patagonia using neutron activation analysis

PLA, ALDAZABAL, IVERNIZZI, MORENO

Atenas, Grecia

Congreso; Technart 2009; 2009

Universidad de Atenas

Poster. Chemical characterization of archaeological ceramic objects helps determine provenance and technological production techniques and therefore is useful for the study of interactions between prehistoric people . In this work, sherds from four sites in Argentine Northern Patagonia were analysed using neutron activation analysis (NAA). Different authors  identified these sherds as araucan or neoaraucan based on the presence of quartz and mica and surface characteristics with scarce presence of paint decoration. On the other hand, most sites in this area present low number of sherds with red or red and black decoration, with a possible origin in exchanges. The samples analyzed in this paper presented two kinds of paste that suggest the use of different raw material sources . In this work, we intended to establish if their presence is the result of pottery exchange or if they were transported by groups travelling across the Andes, 1000 to 500 years BP