A proposal for a lithic raw material classification in Patagonia (Argentina)

Abstract

Lithic remains are the most preserved materials in the archaeological record. In Patagonia, lithic technology research has a long history. However, there is not a general agreement among scholars regarding a common denomination of lithic raw materials suitable for artifact manufacture. This result in a widely known problem among lithic analysts: a difficulty to compare several study areas or even investigations in the same area conducted by different colleagues with diverse criteria. This paper proposes a macroscopic classification scheme for lithic raw materials suitable for the manufacture of artifacts by flaking and pecking, grinding and polishing from Patagonia. This study starts with an exhaustive literature review and is based on permanent interaction with geologists specialized in mineralogy and petrography. Additionally, we consulted archaeologists working in Patagonia. Therefore, this paper proposes a scheme including all mineral and rock types cited in the consulted literature, their genetic classification, approaches for their identification, and previously used equivalent terms.