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We report the results of bioarchaeological, genetic, malacological, and lithic analyses of a burial located in the Calamuchita Valley in the province of Córdoba in central Argentina. We discuss these findings from an osteobiographical perspective that considers the physical body from three spheres of analysis: biological, social, and political. The skeletal remains correspond to an adult male who died 3770 ± 90 14C years BP (4404–3850 cal BP). His mitochondrial lineage A2+16192-16248 could have originated in central Argentina; this lineage subsequently became extinct in modern populations. In association with the human bones, there were two lithic tools, ornamental shells, and a stone pendant arranged as a necklace. This type of context is infrequently found in the region and the period studied. Thus, this burial represents a rare and relevant record for regional and South American archaeology, providing the oldest direct evidence of a burial with grave goods in hunter-gatherer societies of the province of Córdoba, central region of Argentina.

An axe head and a round bead were found at the burial site of an adult male (dated at 3770 ± 90 14C years BP) at Amboy, Cordoba (central Argentina). These artifacts were studied using electron microprobe, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, for a complete characterization of the materials and to infer the source. The axe head is carved from very fine-grained tonalite (composed dominantly of zoned plagioclase, quartz, potassic feldspar, chlorite, magnesiohornblende, titanite and magnetite) with microporphyritic texture. The bead is mainly composed of muscovite, an amorphous Cu–Al hydrated silicate (similar to chrysocolla) and malachite. Based on the coincidence between textures, mineralogy and chemical compositions, the most likely source of the axe is dykes of metaluminous tonalite scattered in the Sierras Chicas Range. The provenance of the bead could not be ascertained, but it is probable that it was carved from material collected from a very localized outcrop. These artifacts associated with a funerary context represent one of the oldest evidences of such materials for hunter–gatherer groups in central Argentina.

En este trabajo se presenta un estudio tecno-morfológico sobre conjuntos líticos de diversas materias primas, entre ellas silcretes, rocas volcánicas/subvolcánicas, cuarzos y metacuarcitas, procedentes de siete cuadrículas de recolección de los sitios canteras taller de silcrete El Ranchito 1 y 2 (Dpto. Ischilín, Córdoba, Argentina). Los resultados demuestran la existencia de distintas trayectorias para estas materias primas, en las que se realizaron tareas de obtención, manufactura y uso mayormente de silcretes. La forma geométrica de los nódulos de esta roca silícea, a saber, tabular, laminar y esférica, ha sido una opción para la selección de formas base para su posterior manufactura final y uso en otros lugares, como así también para su manufactura y uso en las canteras. In this work we report a techno-morphological study on the lithic assemblage of diverse raw materials, including silcretes, volcanic/subvolcanic, quartz and metaquartz rocks, all coming from seven collection grids belonging to silcrete quarry workshop sites El Ranchito 1 and 2 (Ischilín, Córdoba, Argentina). Results show different trajectories for these raw materials, in which tasks consisting of collection, manufacture and use of mostly silcrete were carried out. The geometrical shape of the nodules of this siliceous rock, i.e., tabular, laminar and spherical, was an option for selecting base forms for later final manufacture and use in other places, as well as for manufacture and use in the quarries. Fil: Sario, Gisela Mariela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba; Argentina Fil: Costantino, Florencia Natalia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades; Argentina

The present study is the first step in the elaboration of a regional base of lithic resources for an area located in the northeastern San Luis province, Argentina. Within this area lies the Estancia La Suiza archeological locality, near the hills of Sierra de la Estanzuela, where prehistoric quarry workshops have been identified. The main objective of this work was to explore the use of the different raw materials by prehistoric groups. The general geological setting of the hills of Sierra de la Estanzuela is described, and a distribution of raw material in the area is proposed. The principal sources of lithic material procurement representing the archeological record were identified, and lithic types were quantified and classified. Finally, the lithic material recovered from the Estancia La Suiza 2 quarry was characterized; the results show that the artifacts correspond to the earliest stages of production. Fil: Sario, Gisela Mariela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Filosofia y Humanidades. Museo de Antropologia; Argentina

La evidencia arqueológica dejada por los grupos humanos que habitaron el centro de Argentina (provincias de Córdoba y San Luis), desde las primeras ocupaciones hasta momentos previos a la conquista española, pone de manifiesto que estas poblaciones desarrollaron diversas estrategias y adaptaciones a lo largo del tiempo. Una de estas estrategias es la producción de artefactos líticos. En este trabajo, se aborda el estudio de las secuencias de reducción de clastos y de manufactura de bifaces experimentales aplicando la metodología de análisis «no tipológico» para el estudio de los desechos de talla. Estas experiencias fueron realizadas como resultado del análisis de la tecnología lítica de sitios arqueológicos ubicados en la localidad arqueológica de Estancia La Suiza, San Luis. La finalidad de este trabajo es comparar ciertos atributos de las lascas producto de la experimentación para diferenciar tipos de actividades de talla. Realizar esta propuesta nos permite presentar en otra oportunidad la comparación con el registro arqueológico, e intentar dilucidar cómo fueron los diferentes momentos en el proceso de talla. ENGLISH: The archaeological evidence left by the humans who occupied the center of Argentina (comprising the present territory of the provinces of Cordoba and San Luis, Argentina), from the earliest settlements until the moments before the Spanish conquest, shows that these populations developed different strategies and adaptations to the environment over time. One such strategy is the production of lithic artifacts. This contribution specifically addresses the study of sequence of cores and reducing manufacturing bifaces by applying the methodology of the “non-typological” analysis to the study of debitage. These experiments were conducted as a result of the analysis of the lithic technology of archaeological sites located at the archaeological locality of Estancia La Suiza, in San Luis province. The purpose of this paper is to compare the flake debris produced by these experiments to better differentiate types of carving. These results are compared with the archaeological record, in order to better explain how past human groups made their tools, and what comprised the various stages in the process of reduction.

La evidencia arqueológica dejada por los grupos humanos que habitaron el centro de Argentina (provincias de Córdoba y San Luis), desde las primeras ocupaciones hasta momentos previos a la conquista española, pone de manifiesto que estas poblaciones desarrollaron diversas estrategias y adaptaciones a lo largo del tiempo. Una de estas estrategias es la producción de artefactos líticos. En este trabajo, se aborda el estudio de las secuencias de reducción de clastos y de manufactura de bifaces experimentales aplicando la metodología de análisis «no tipológico» para el estudio de los desechos de talla. Estas experiencias fueron realizadas como resultado del análisis de la tecnología lítica de sitios arqueológicos ubicados en la localidad arqueológica de Estancia La Suiza, San Luis. La finalidad de este trabajo es comparar ciertos atributos de las lascas producto de la experimentación para diferenciar tipos de actividades de talla. Realizar esta propuesta nos permite presentar en otra oportunidad la comparación con el registro arqueológico, e intentar dilucidar cómo fueron los diferentes momentos en el proceso de talla. ENGLISH: Study of lithic carving sequences through experimental models in siliceous rocks of central Argentina. The archaeological evidence left by the humans who occupied the center of Argentina (comprising the present territory of the provinces of Cordoba and San Luis, Argentina), from the earliest settlements until the moments before the Spanish conquest, shows that these populations developed different strategies and adaptations to the environment over time. One such strategy is the production of lithic artifacts. This contribution specifically addresses the study of the sequence of cores and reducing manufacturing bifaces by applying the methodology of the “non-typological” analysis to the study of debitage. These experiments were conducted as a result of the analysis of the lithic technology of archaeological sites located in the archaeological locality of Estancia La Suiza, in San Luis province. The purpose of this paper is to compare the flake debris produced by these experiments to better differentiate types of carving. These results are compared with the archaeological record, in order to better explain how past human groups made their tools, and what comprised the various stages in the process of reduction.