Middle Holocene settlements on coastal dunes, southwest Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss hunter-gatherer settlements on coastal sand dunes in the Southwest of Buenos Aires Province (Argentina). Technological, archaeofaunal and radiocarbon information from Barrio Las Dunas site is presented, and compared with the context of other Pampean coastal sites. Barrio Las Dunas site is located on a sand dune and shows a hunter-gatherers settlement from 6900 14C BP. The archaeofaunal context demonstrates the exploitation of marine taxa: mammals (Otariidae) and fish (Pogonias cromis). Lithic tools such as end scrapers, side scrapers, denticulates, notches and many retouched flake tools were identified. Also, some carefully worked unifacial and bifacial tools were recovered. Artifacts were mainly manufactured from basalt, followed by quartzite and subarkose. The data presented supports some palaeoenvironmental considerations: first that the southwest Atlantic coast sand dunes of Buenos Aires province date from the Early-Middle Holocene and second, that Barrio Las Dunas site was next to a coastal lagoon or estuarine palaeoenvironment with a crab community. This context was appropriate for black drum feeding. Early-Middle Holocene sites from the area illustrate the variability of coastal environments when different landforms, which included lagoons, marsh, sand dunes and beaches, were present in the landscape. The sand dunes were used by huntergatherers in their periodic activities; e.g., lithic artifacts were manufactured and sea lions and black drums were butchered and eaten. This data in addition to the areal information show a complex use of the coast during this period.