Early Evidence of Human Burials in the Southern Argentinian Puna

MARTÍNEZ, JORGE G.

Current Research in the Pleistocene

Center for the Study of First Americans, Texas A&M University, USA

Lugar: Texas; Año: 2011

8755-898X

Funeral issues concerning early hunter-gatherer groups have generally been scarcely discussed due to a lack of archaeological evidence. In this paper, the findings and implications of early evidence for human burials found in the southern argentinian Puna for the period ca. 8400-8000 RCYBP, are presented. The research area is Antofagasta de la Sierra, north of Catamarca province, NW Argentina. Currently, this region is an extreme desert located above 3400 m a.s.l., within the Salt Puna or Puna of Atacama. The evidence considered comes from Peñas de las Trampas 1.1 site (PT1.1), a large rockshelter located at 3582 m a.s.l.