Mónica A. Berón, Florencia N. Paez, Manuel P. Carrera Aizpitarte and Eliana N. Lucero

The aim of this paper is to report on the characteristics of a singular burial corresponding to the Middle Holocene, in the central region of Argentina (Western Pampa subregion). Its chronology provides valuable information for the knowledge of settlement processes in this semi-arid region, where there is currently scarce data available for this period. The burial possesses abundant and varied grave goods, comparable with those in another similar burial in the subregion. Archaeological information from the macro region under study (32 to 39o LS) is summarized, and models of mobility patterns and initial occupation of spaces are analyzed, including biases and general trends in the population processes. Finally, regularities in the modalities of Middle Holocene burials from the Western Pampa are outlined.

Cristian M. Favier Dubois, Dalila Herrera Villegas, Ana P. Alcaraz, Marcelo Cardillo and Paula Vitale

Along the semi-arid coast of northern Patagonia (Golfo San Matías, Río Negro) mountain ranges composed of rhyolites illustrate different stages in the evolution of rock cavities. A comparative study carried out in the Punta Pórfido area allows us to evaluate rockshelter formation processes and their sedimentary fillings. Cavity morphology in this sector results from the romboidal pattern of joints in the volcanic rock and weathering processes, mainly the development of tafoni. The fillings are made up of gravel and blocks derived from the weathering of the rhyolite, with the contribution of fine sediments originating from wind and marine salts that have collaborated in the preservation of unusual organic remains. At the main cavity surveyed, Alero 2, two excavations were carried out and four radiocarbon dating samples determined the ages on charcoal to be between ca. 2200 and 7500 years cal. AP. In this contribution, we present the initial results of the geoarchaeological study of these cavities in the coastal area of Punta Pórfido to understand their development and some properties of the archaeological and taphonomic record contained in their fillings.

Lila Bernardi, Mario A. Arrieta and Melina C. Bottini

Paleodemography is a line of research that is often underestimated in bioarchaeological studies because prehistoric sites generally lack written records that provide accurate information about the societies that generated them. Given the high number of individuals buried at the Médano Petroquímica site and the short period of occupation thereof, the use of life tables and different paleodemographic indices would allow us to provide relevant information about population dynamics for the study area during the late Holocene. Infant mortality, female fertility rates, and other indicators suggest it would be a population with a tendency towards growth. In addition, the results would support the model proposed by some researchers of decreasing residential mobility in the region, increasing population density, and the appearance of formal burial areas during the initial period of Spanish- indigenous contact.

Lezcano and Luciano Prates

This work presents a detailed description of remains of dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) from the Pucará de Tilcara site (Jujuy Province, Argentina), which were recently recovered from two archaeological contexts (MNI = 5). The purpose of this article is to define the chronology and reconstruct the morphology of these dogs, as well as to inquire about their social status and possible roles. To accomplish the first objective, a first taxon-date in northwestern Argentina, carried out on a sample from Midden 1, has established an age of has established an age of 610±27 years 14C BP (1383-1424 years cal. AD) as a minimum absolute date for the presence of pre-Hispanic dogs in the region. In turn, the analysis of the archaeological evidence from the second context (Acrópolis) suggests their presence during the Inca domination of the site. Morphological reconstruction lends support to a previously observed pattern, consisting of a predominance of medium to small sized dogs. Our analysis suggests that the Acrópolis dogs could have been pets, as well as prestige goods, of the Inca elite or of specialized craft workers, whereas the specimens from Midden 1 were used as food and possibly fur resources. This is the first time that undeniable evidence of dog consumption among the pre-Hispanic societies of northwestern Argentina has been recorded.