Faunal use for bone tools. Punta Entrada and Monte León national park collections (Santa Cruz province, Argentina)

Authors

  • Natacha Buc CONICET-INAPL. 3 de febrero 1378, (1426) Buenos Aires
  • Isabel Cruz UARG-UNPA- Lisandro de la Torre 1070, (9400) Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz

Abstract

This paper is a first approach to faunal use in the production of bone tools in Punta Entrada and Parque Nacional Monte León locations, placed in the Atlantic coast, south of Santa Cruz River. The assemblage is associated to human occupations which took place in the last 2000 years, including an early signal ca. 5700-4000 BP in Monte León. The sample is classified in morphofunctional groups and we identified the bone used as raw material for each case. In the most representative group, that of pressure flakers, metrical structure is also determined. Evidences of well developed bone technology can be seen in both localities. Homogeneity shown in raw material selection is linked to a wide morphological variety which suggests bone tool were related with different activities of local hunter-gatherers.

Keywords:

Fauna, Bone tools, Bone raw material