The use of written and oral sources in archaeological research. The case of El Siasgo, Salado River Depression

Abstract

In this work we analyze the potential of integrating various written and oral sources in the contextualization of an archaeological research project from a territorial perspective. With this goal in mind, we present a case study of El Siasgo creek in the Salado River Depression of Buenos Aires. We identify and systematize multiple sources linked to the researched past: documents about previous archaeological research, museum memorials, scientific correspondence, cartographic material and documentary sources from the 18th and 10th centuries. In addition, we also include oral testimonies related to the archaeological remains. Combined, these sources offer data on the transformations of El Siasgo as a strategically built space over time, accounting for the trajectories of different populations that are interwoven together in El Siasgo and that are referred to, in part, in the representations of the archaeological objects.