Measurements and Replications of Hand Stencils: a Methodological Approach for the Estimation of the Individuals’ Age and Sex

Abstract

In spite of the diverse methodological efforts carried out in different regions of the world, the interpretation of the age and sex of the individuals represented in the hand stencils continues to be difficult. The present work approaches this problem through the measurements of a sample of stencils from the northeastern portion of the Deseado Massif (Santa Cruz province, Argentina), the evaluation of the available bioantropological information from Patagonian human populations, and the use of an experimental approach that includes the replication of hand stencils from individuals of different ages and sexes. It is proposed that the sizes of the hand stencils are not only related to the age and sex of the individuals but are also conditioned by the production techniques. The results include the definition of new parameters for male’ and female’ hand sizes and the introduction of a correction value for the error which is caused by the stenciling techniques. It is concluded that the production of hand stencils in this part of Patagonia was a shared activity that was not limited to specific social subgroups.