SELECTION OF LITHIC RESOURCES DURING THE MID AND LATE HOLOCENE AT A NORTHWESTERN SANTA CRUZ SITE

Abstract

In northwestern Santa Cruz, the stratified site Colmillo Sur I presents a series of occupations with radiocarbon dates between 5470 cal BC and 1415 cal AC. This allows us to study continuities and changes in resource use patterns over a 7000 year period. In this paper we present the information obtained regarding the raw material procurement process and its temporal variability. We learned that throughout the occupation of the site there was a selection for raw materials of the best qualities coming from at least 80 km in different directions. Furthermore, we identified temporal trends in resource selection that persist over hundreds or thousands of years. We propose that the site was included in mobility circuits which guaranteed access to the best raw materials as well as persistence in occupation during certain periods

Keywords

• patagonia
• lithic resources
• raw materials
• circuits
• mobility