Archaeological distribution studies from Monte Loayza (North Coast of Santa Cruz, Patagonia)

Abstract

In this paper, we present the first results of distributional studies undertaken at the Monte Loayza sector of the North coast of Santa Cruz (NCSC). Studies conducted at Monte Loayza were aimed at understanding the structural characteristics of the surface archaeological record of the sector. In this regard, previous archaeological studies of this sector were both scarce and unsystematic. The Monte Loayza sector had some unique elements. These elements were useful in contrasting with previous hypotheses proposed within the framework of the North Coast of Santa Cruz project, regarding the use of different types of coasts, resource availability, and the manner in which, coastal and inland areas were occupied by human groups. Distributional studies performed on different landscape units, such as coast, small canyons (known as cañadones in Patagonia), temporary lagoons and plateaus allowed us to confirm that this particular sector had, in general, low to medium artifact densities. This constitutes a medium to lower density vis-à-vis other sectors along the northern coast of Santa Cruz. However, a higher intensity of use, interpreted as residential, of a part of an open coast was observed; while another area of cliffy coast, with a high availability of varied types of resources, had almost no artifact record, this is probably related to diffculty of access at this location.