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El Macizo del Deseado es un distrito geológico que presenta una alta disponibilidad de materias primas de excelentecalidad para la talla. En nuestra área de estudio, en el extremo sur del Macizo, las formaciones Baqueró y Bajo Grandepresentan fuentes primarias y secundarias de madera silicificada, pero de distribución acotada y escasa visibilidad.Diversos estudios en el área mostraron la existencia de variabilidad respecto de las características macroscópicas, elgrado de silicificación y la localización de la madera silicificada. Las primeras evidencias de utilización de esta materiaprima se registran hacia el 8000 A.P., en un sector del espacio en que se encuentra inmediatamente disponible, sibien las primeras ocupaciones humanas datan de la transición Pleistoceno-Holoceno. En este trabajo se presentael análisis de una de estas fuentes primarias con el objetivo de evaluar si las características particulares de estamateria prima condicionaron de alguna manera su aprovechamiento por parte de los grupos cazadores recolectores. The Deseado Massif is a geological district that presents a high availability of excellent knapping quality raw materials. In our study area, at the Southern end of the Massif, the Baqueró and Bajo Grande Formations, present primary and secondary sources of silicified wood, but with a limited distribution and poor visibility. Several studies in the area showed the existence of variability with respect to the macroscopic characteristics, degree of silicification and location of the silicified woods. The first evidence of the use of this raw material is recorded around 8000 B.P., in a space where it is immediately available, although the first human occupations of the area date from the PleistoceneHolocene transition. This paper presents the analysis of one of these primary sources with the aim of evaluating if the particular characteristics of this raw material conditioned in some way its use by the hunter-gatherer groups Fil: Vetrisano, Lucas Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Historia y Ciencias Humanas; Argentina Fil: Franco, Nora Viviana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Historia y Ciencias Humanas; Argentina Fil: Bianchi, Pablo Emiliano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Historia y Ciencias Humanas; Argentina

The Southern End of the Deseado Massif (SDM, Patagonia, Argentina) is part of a morphostructural region with seasonal shallow lakes and streams highly dependent on rainfall. The area is rich in rock shelters and both primary and secondary sources of high-quality siliceous rocks. To the South there are basaltic plateaus and open plains where no such sources have been identified. Although a relatively big space was explored, rock structures forming groups were located in only a small part of it. In this paper we seek to analyze the reasons for their location and the way in which they were used. In order to do this, we present information related to their frequency, characteristics, and the archaeological context recovered. In addition, in order to understand the way in which they were used, the visibility of nearby environments was analyzed with Geographical Information Systems, using a DEM (Digital Elevation Model) developed by the Argentine Instituto Geografico Nacional (IGN). Results obtained indicate that the rock structures were built in places higher than the surroundings, using immediately available rocks. According to the visibility analysis, they worked in an articulated way as part of collective hunting strategies. The characteristics and composition of the artifact assemblages recovered indicate that different activities took place at these sites during the Late Holocene. The identification of the hunting blinds in a specific area within the SDM and their absence in the remaining study area to the North and South suggest that this area was selected for planned collective hunting.