Search

This article discusses evidence of human settlement in different loci of the Western Pampa: site 1 of the Tapera Moreira locality, El Carmel, and Casa de Piedra. The initial settlement of this territory has been restricted to a single chronological fact corresponding to the Early Holocene, from the site Casa de Piedra 1 (8620 ± 190 years BP), which has not been replicated in this or other sites in the region. For this reason, it has not been included in the discussion on this subject in recent publications. However, in the years following its publication, several findings have been made, the contexts of which point to great informative potential in relation to the initial human occupation of landscapes with no previous history. We present material culture indicators (fishtail points, discoidal lithics, and highly selected and heat-treated raw materials) recovered in different Pampean loci, which are related to the expectations generated for an initial occupation stage of the landscape. A model of slow and discontinuous exploration is proposed, which used pathways of different ranges in the process of knowledge and colonization of these desert environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations of macro- and microbotanical remains from hunter-gatherer sites in the Pampa and Norpatagonia region of South America have shed light on the role of plants in the diet of these populations. In a number of eases, scholars have identified the concurrent use of wild plants and domesticates through a number of distinct indicators and analytical methods. As a result, plant domesticates in the region can be dated back to as early as ca. 2000 years P.P., spanning a broad area from the Andean cordillera to the phyto-geographical provinces of the monte and the espinal (34° to 40° S and 72° to 63° W approximately). In this article, we present new evidence for the presence of maize (Zea mays) and wild cereals and legumes (Prosopis sp. and Poaceae) in hunter-gatherer contexts of the Western Pampa of Argentina. These data come from the analysis of plant microremains in ceramic materials, grinding artifacts, and human teeth and elucidate the role of plants for these societies. Comparisons with previous studies of wild and domesticated plant use in the region reveal patterns of plant use by hunter-gatherers at a macro-regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information about the third discussion workshop on the return of human interest on archaeology and bioanthropology held in Argentina from June 13-14, 2013. Topics discussed include role of constitutional reforms in Argentina in improving the indigenous rights, impact of indigenous rights on the practice of archaeology and bioanthropology and role of federal laws in managing the access to museums for the indigenous people.