Burned Lithics: An Experimental Approach to Characterize the Effects of Fire on the Lithic Archaeological Record of Northern Patagonia, Argentina

Abstract

A field-based experiment was carried out to assess the impact of heat on lithic raw materials commonly used for knapping tools along the north Patagonian coast of Argentina. Descriptive data for the experimental items were recorded both before and after exposure to fire. Through network analysis, we explore the relationship between variables to establish the co-occurring of traits resulting from the material’s exposure to heat. Statistical analysis of network topology allows us to identify clusters of variables, which were categorized into morphological, mechanical, and pseudo-technological groups. These findings indicate that alterations within the same category covary more than those across different categories. The results obtained are relevant to addressing taphonomic issues in the northern coast of Patagonia, where frequent fire seasons affect surface sites. Ultimately, we aim to characterize these traits and build a reference framework to compare the transformations observed in the lithic archaeological record caused by natural fires.