Early holocene long-distance obsidian transport in central-south patagonia

Abstract

Chronological based data for Early Holocene obsidian transport is not abundant for sites in continental Patagonia. We present ICP-MS analyses of obsidian samples from two well-dated stratified cave archaeological deposits in the steppe plains of the Aisén region (Chile) and discuss the implications of this data for constraining temporal trends in technological decisions related to huntergatherers mobility and use of space. The evidence presented suggests that recurrent obsidian circulation routes were established in central-south Patagonia at the onset of the Holocene.