HIDING PLACE OR GARBAGE DUMP? A CONTRIBUTION FROM THE VITREOUS ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD RECOVERED FROM THE SMALL CAVITY OF A BLOCK (SANTA CRUZ PROVINCE, ARGENTINA)
¿ESCONDRIJO O BASURAL? UN APORTE DESDE EL REGISTRO ARQUEOLÓGICO VÍTREO RECUPERADO EN LA PEQUEÑA CAVIDAD DE UN BLOQUE (PROVINCIA DE SANTA CRUZ, ARGENTINA)
Natalia Andrea Cirigliano
In this paper we discuss an archaeological record recovered from a block with a small cavity (Oquedad 1) in the Cañadón Mercerá Valley, middle basin of the northern bank of the Santa Cruz River, which contains a high frequency of vitreous elements. Our aim was to evaluate, from a techno-morphological perspective, whether this space was used as a hiding place or as a garbage dump. Our findings support the latter hypothesis, i.e., the block cavity was used as a space to discard elements at the end of the 19th century and/or the beginning of the 20th century. This garbage dump of Oquedad 1 shows a distinctive character in the Southern Patagonia context, allowing us to conclude that it was originally shaped by more intensive ways of occupying spaces near the Cañadón Mercerá.