Marcelo Cardillo

Analisis de morfometría geométrica en puntas cola de pescado del Uruguay

Las puntas de proyectil Cola de Pescado o tipo Fell I son comunmente asociadas con las poblaciones que habitaron Suda merika durante el Pleistoceno Tardfo Holoceno Temprano. La mayoria de estas puntas han sido recuperadas en la region pampeana argentina, Uruguay, Chile central y Patagonia meridional. Se definen porposeer limbo convexo, hombros redon deados, pedunculo de hordes levemente concavos, base concava y en algunos casos acanaladura en una o ambas caras del pedunculo. La presencia de acanaladura y su asignacion cronologica han sido propuestas como evidencias para sustentar el vinculo cultural con las puntas tempranas de Norteamerica. Con el objetivo de explorar cuantitativamente las variacio nes en forma y tamano, se aplicaron tecnicas de morfometria geometrica a una muestra de 24 puntas recuperadas en Uru guay. Las variaciones morfologicas fueron contrastadas con atributos metricos, procedencia geogrdfica y tipo de materia prima Utica. Los resultados no sugieren relaciones entre las variables morfologicas, procedencia y tipo de materia prima. Sin embargo, se observa una correlacion significativa entre forma y tamano, lo cual indica una relacion alometrica. Final mente, se discuten los resultados en terminos de disefio e historia de vida de los artefactos y sus relaciones con la tecno logia de los cazadores-recolectores del Pleistoceno Tardio-Holoceno Temprano.

Some Applications of Geometric Morphometrics to Archaeology

This work explores some aspects of the application of geometric morphometric techniques in archeology, with a focus on lithic artifacts. We show that Elliptic Fourier Analysis and landmark/semi-landmark based methods can easily generate quantitative useful information relative to outline variation in lithic artifacts. This information can be used latter as raw data into univariate, multivariate analysis to explore mayor trends of morphological variation as well as relations between metric and morphological variation.

LA IMPORTANCIA DE LAS VARIABLES MORFOLÓGICAS, MÉTRICAS Y DE MICRODESGASTE PARA EVALUAR LAS DIFERENCIAS EN DISEÑOS DE PUNTAS DE PROYECTIL BIFACIALES PEDUNCULADAS: UN EJEMPLO DEL SUR DE PATAGONIA CONTINENTAL

En este trabajo nos proponemos evaluar la existencia de variaciones en el diseno de puntas de proyectil bifaciales pedunculadas entre la cuenca del rio Santa Cruz y el estrecho de Magallanes. Con este objetivo se aplicaron analisis morfometricos, metricos y de microdesgaste en los pedunculos de estos instrumentos. Los mismos senalaron, por un lado, la existencia de semejanzas en su forma y por el otro, variaciones metricas y en el microdesgaste entre los conjuntos procedentes del norte y el sur del rio Santa Cruz. Se discute si las causas de estas variaciones pueden relacionarse con caracteristicas ambientales -como la disponibilidad de recursos liticos, faunisticos y vegetales- o con la existencia de diferentes poblaciones humanas.

Spatial patterns in Late Holocene lithic projectile point technology of Tierra del Fuego (southern South America): assessing size and shape changes

Abstract This paper focuses on the application of geometric morphometrics to the study of the lithic record in southern South America. We review the regional background, discuss methodological issues and summarize research advances. Here a geometric morphometric approach is applied to the case study of Late Holocene stemmed lithic projectile points from Grande Island of Tierra del Fuego (southernmost South America). Our aim is to assess size and shape changes in a broad spatial scale. Projectile point morphometric variations are used to discuss spatial scales of interaction and differentiation among past human populations across the island. Finally, several hypotheses are introduced to explain the patterns observed.

DIVERSIDAD EN EL INSTRUMENTAL LÍTICO Y USO DEL ESPACIO DURANTE EL HOLOCENO MEDIO Y TARDÍO EN LA COSTA NORTE DEL GOLFO SAN MATÍAS (RÍO NEGRO, ARGENTINA)

The Northern coast of San Matias Gulf presents a large number of archaeological loci, representative of two different time span within the model of space use and marine resources consumption proposed for the region (Favier Dubois et al. 2009). The lithic artifacts and the lithic raw materials that were used in each present chronological and geographic differences that are presented in this paper. Using statistical analysis, we have established significative differences related to the distribution of instrumental classes in the previously defined temporal blocks. The results suggest that diversity would have been structured

RELEVAMIENTO ARQUEOLÓGICO EN CAÑADÓN DE LOS MEJILLONES (SUR DE LA DESEMBOCADURA DEL RÍO SANTA CRUZ, ARGENTINA): PRIMEROS RESULTADOS

Resumen es: Se presentan aqui los primeros resultados obtenidos en la meseta al sur de la desembocadura del rio Santa Cruz, en la localidad conocida como Canadon de ...

New Results Concerning Expanded Networks of Obsidian Procurement in San Matías Gulf, Río Negro, Patagonia, Argentina

ABSTRACT In this article we characterize the obsidian types present along the San Matías Gulf coast through geochemical analyses and we perform a techo-morphological analyses of the recovered artifacts. Also, we present a new obsidian type that has been found for the first time in the Atlantic coast of Patagonia. By this means we hope to better evaluate trends in the circulation and use of this raw material in the San Matías Gulf during the Middle and Late Holocene. As a result, we propose that there is a differential distribution between northern and southern Patagonia and among coastal sites (black and gray obsidians). This disparity could be mainly related to spatial distance, or to different mobility patterns of the human groups or to differential availability of the sources during the year. Growing evidence also suggests different raw material circulation.

Stone Tool Manufacture Strategies and Lithic Raw Material Exploitation in Coastal Patagonia, Argentina: A Multivariate Approach

This paper seeks to characterize strategies of artifact manufacture and lithic raw material exploitation along San Matias Gulf coast, Argentina, using multifactorial and cluster analysis. Multifactorial analysis is a relatively new method that has yet to be used for archaeological analysis; it has the advantage that it allows us to describe data using different groups of qualitative or quantitative variables at the same time. Additionally, cluster analysis was conducted on multifactorial axis in a bid to identify grouping patterns. The results obtained from the combination of these two methods suggest that they may be useful in characterizing technological strategies in the study area. Furthermore, they may also be a powerful exploratory and characterization tool able to generate explanations at low spatial scales. The application of these methods on San Matias Gulf study case suggests that along the western and northern coasts of this Gulf the most important variables in determining differences in resource use were the fragmentation ratio and lithic raw materials used in artifact manufacture.

Análisis tecno-morfológico, morfométrico y de materias primas de los esferoides líticos de la costa del Golfo San Matías (Río Negro, Argentina) / TECHNO-MORPHOLOGICAL, MORPHOMETRICS AND RAW MATERIALS ANALYSES OF LITHIC SPHEROIDS FROM SAN MATÍAS GULF

In this paper we present an initial characterization of the sample of bolas recovered in archaeological sites located at San Matias Gulf coast (Rio Negro province) dated in the Middle and Late Holocene. For this purpose different methods of metric, morphometric (shape analysis) and raw materials analyses, as well as a techno-morphological characterization of the artifacts, were applied. The results indicate the existence of two large groups of bolas: one is integrated by artifacts of medium-small size and irregular outline, which tend to a quadrangular shape with a flat side view; and other group of artifacts which are larger and with a more spherical shape. It was also possible to establish the use of mainly local raw materials for the manufacture of these instruments, which would have affected the weight differences we detected between the bolas recovered in both portions of the coast (North and West). Finally, the presence of formatization traces in most of the sample and the low presence of pieces with polish over their entire surfaces, would indicate a low investment of energy put into the final manufacture of these artifacts.