Landscape and Rocks in the East-Central Portion of the Tandilia Range (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina)

Abstract

The east-central Tandilia Range (Pampean region, Argentina) witnessed recurrent human occupations during the final Pleistocene and early Holocene. Here we introduce an updated synthesis about material culture and landscape studies based on eight archaeological sites. The lithic technology of the early groups that inhabited the micro-region includes a highly selective acquisition of rocks and their transport from different sources, sometimes from very long distances. There is significant inter-assemblage variability among sites; within this diverse context, the assemblage at Cerro El Sombrero is exceptional, including infrequent artifacts and a large number of Fishtail projectile points. Our findings indicate people with a deep knowledge of their environment, their stones, and geographic features, some of which had distinctive uses and meanings. We consider that this network of ideas, places, and objects suggests that people in the micro-region were deeply engaged with their surroundings by the Pleistocene–Holocene transition.