Revista de Arqueología Histórica Argentina y Latinoamericana (Dec 2013)
ESTRATEGIAS EN LA ELEVACIÓN DEL AGUA EN LA PAMPA CHIVILCOYANA: LA NORIA DE “SAN BERNARDO
Abstract
This paper constitutes a contribution to rescue the rural heritage of the Chivilcoy district (Argentina). By means of the field survey made in “San Bernardo” ranch, the archaeological research undertaken and the analysis of historical documents related to these fields (measurements, inventories and successions), we present an approach to the study of the mechanisms for water withdrawal during the 19th Century. This investigation started with the finding of deteriorated elements which form part of the animal-drawn waterwheel, which were placed in the farmhouse and the surrounding areas of the centenary ranch, which belonged to Dr. José Benjamín Gorostiaga during the second half of the 19th Century. The purpose of this investigation was focused on the description of the instruments related to the extraction and storage of water, as well as on elucidating the functioning of the waterwheel; all these instruments are testimonies of an ancient hydraulic technology