A Reassessment on the Lithic Artifacts from the Earliest Human Occupations at El Puente Rockshelter, Ayacucho Valley, Perú

Richard “Scotty” MacNeish, between 1969 and 1972, led an international team of archaeologists on the Ayacucho Archaeological-Botanical—Project in the south-central highlands of Peru. Among several important archaeological sites identified there, MacNeish and his team excavated the Puente rock shelter. As a part of an ongoing research program aimed to reassess the lithic remains from this endeavor, we re-studied a sample by making diverse kinds of morpho-technological analysis. The remains studied come from the lower strata at Puente, where a radiocarbon assay from layer XIIA yielded a calibrated date of 10,190 to 9555 years BP that the present study identifies, various activities were carried out at the site, mainly related to manufacturing and repairing unifacial and bifacial tools. The artifacts studied are comparable with the lithic remains found in other sites located in the Ayacucho Basin, and with other early evidence from other parts of the south-central Andes.Fil: Yataco Capcha, Juan. San Marcos University Museum; PerúFil: Nami, Hugo Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Huiza, Wilmer. San Marcos University Museum; Per

New taphonomic approach applied to the Late Pleistocene bone remains from Pikimachay Cave, Ayacucho Basin, Peru: possible implications for the debate on human colonisation of western South America

La grotte de Pikimachay dans le sud-est du Pérou a joué un rôle important dans les discussions concernant le premier peuplement de l’archéologie sud-américaine, et en particulier dans les Andes du Sud. Les fouilles effectuées par Richard MacNeish en 1969-1970 ont permis l’identification d’une séquence d’occupations humaines possibles et controversées du Pléistocène tardif aux temps historiques. Dans le cadre d’un programme de recherche visant à réévaluer les vestiges du Pléistocène supérieur de ce site, nous avons effectué des observations taphonomiques sur un échantillon osseux (n=40) appartenant à ses strates inférieures (couches h à k) comme suit : h (n=17), h1 (n=6), i (n=4), i1 (n=7), j (n=5) et k (n=1). Les datations au radiocarbone conventionnelles non calibrées initialement obtenues suggèrent que ces couches couvrent une période d’environ 14 à 25000 ans avant le présent (kybp). Chaque os a été minutieusement étudié pour connaître la nature de ses modifications, décrire l’état général des spécimens et les altérations, dans le but d’identifier une éventuelle intervention anthropique. À cette fin, nous avons considéré les modifications de surface enregistrant des fractures fraîches et post-dépositionnelles, différents types de marques, l’altération et la présence de taches de manganèse. Nous avons conclu que divers os (n=8) de la couche h étaient affectés par diverses modifications d’origine humaine. On peut donc supposer que ces nouvelles informations justifient l’hypothèse selon laquelle les os et les matériaux lithiques de la couche h auraient été produits au cours de l’Holocène inférieur/Pléistocène terminal entre ~≥9,0/10,0 et ~14,1, probablement à ~14,1 kybp ; un fait qui peut être considéré pour les restes de pierre des strates sous-jacentes h1 qui ont donné une date similaire. Les restes osseux des strates j à k ne présentent pas de modifications humaines. Ensuite, si la chronologie rapportée et son association avec les restes anthropiques sont vraies, Pikimachay pourrait encore être pertinent en ce qui concerne la discussion sur la question de la colonisation humaine dans l’ouest de l’Amérique du Sud à une époque acceptable pendant la période postglaciaire.The Pikimachay cave in south-eastern Peru had an important role in archaeological discussions concerning the first peopling of South America, and the Southern Andes in particular. The excavations by Richard MacNeish in 1969-1970 identified a sequence of possible but controversial Late Pleistocene human occupations up to historical times. As a part of a research programme aiming to re-assess the Late Pleistocene remains from this site, we made taphonomic observations on a sample of bones (n=40) from the lower strata (layers h to k) as follows: h (n=17), h1 (n=6), i (n=4), i1 (n=7), j (n=5), and k (n=1). The conventional uncalibrated radiocarbon dates initially obtained suggest that these layers span a period of ~14.0 to 25.0 thousand years before present (kybp). Each bone was thoroughly examined to determine the nature of modifications to them, and to describe alterations and the general condition of the specimens in order to identify possible anthropic intervention. For this purpose, we examined the surface modifications indicating fresh or post-depositional fractures, the different kinds of marks, weathering, and the presence of manganese staining. We concluded that several bones (n=8) from layer h showed various human-made modifications. We can therefore suggest that this new information justifies the assumption that the bones and lithic materials from layer h would have been produced during the Early Holocene/Late Pleistocene between ~≥9.0/10.0 and ~14.1, probably at ~14.1 kybp; an assumption that can also be considered for the stone remains from the underlying strata h1 that yielded a similar date. The bone remains from strata j to k do not show any human modifications. Furthermore, if the reported chronology and its association with the anthropic remains are true, the Pikimachay cave could still be relevant to the debate over the human colonisation of western South America that occurred within a similar timeframe during the postglacial era

PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS BY OPERATING CHAIN OF DEBRIS LITHIC COMPLEX AYACUCHO, PERU

El análisis del material lítico arqueológico del complejo Ayacucho de la cueva de Pikimachay correspondiente al Pleistoceno Final, ha permitido la identificación tipológica definida como desechos de talla, conformada i.e. núcleos desbastados, lascas primarias y secundarias y fragmentos de lascas obtenidas muy probable por percusión dura y/o blanda. Este trabajo presenta los resultados de la aplicación de una ficha de registro métrico, efectuado bajo la metodología de “Cadena Operativa”, con el objetivo de poder identificar medidas promedio y posibles orden de secuencia de talla lítica. Sin embargo, aún sabiendo que contamos con una evidencia mínima cualitativa de material lítico arqueológico procedente del Complejo Ayacucho, el resultado del análisis preliminar ha permitido al menos asociarlas, con tres momentos de talla lítica.The analysis of archaeological lithic material from the Pikimachay cave at the Ayacucho Complex corresponding to the Final Pleistocene, have led to definite typological identifications such as core debris, first and secondary flakes, and fragments of slices which were most likely obtained through soft or hard hammer percussion. This study shows the results of an analysis of metric measurements applied to the collection conducted under the methodology of “Chaîne Opératoire” with the goal of identifying possible measures and the average order sequence for stone carving. However, knowing that we have minimal qualitative evidence on the archaeological lithic material from the Ayacucho Complex, the results of the preliminary analysis have demonstrated the association with three moments of stone carving

ERNESTO ELIGIO TABÍO PALMA AND PERUVIAN ARCHAEOLOGY

El 5 de febrero de 1984, falleció a sus 72 años Ernesto Tabío Palma; finalizando así seis décadas de continua productividad científica. Tabío no ha dejado una autobiografía y menos aún una evaluación de los importantes hechos de su vida en el Perú desde 1953 a 1960. Este científico merece un digno lugar en la historia de la arqueología peruana. Él realizó importantes aportes en el Perú, formando colecciones arqueológicas de toda la costa peruana. Su contribución académica incluye investigaciones en Playa Grande, Ancón y las ruinas de Puruchuco, y posee una larga lista de publicaciones en Cuba. Además, Tabío Palma, tiene una de las mejores tesis de investigación en la arqueología peruana desarrollada con la teoría marxista (1969b). Esta metodología fue aplicada a los materiales arqueológicos procedentes de los valles de Casma, Huarmey y Fortaleza, de la Costa Central del Perú.On February 5, 1984, Ernesto Tabío Palma died in Cuba at seventy-two years old, ending six decades of continuous scientific productivity. Tabío left no autobiography, much less an assessment of the significant events in his life in Perú from 1953 to 1960. However, his career deserves an honorable place in the history of the Peruvian archaeology. He played a major role in Perú, compiling archaeological collections from sites along the entire Peruvian coast. His contributions to the field included investigations in Playa Grande, Ancón, Puruchuco sites, as well as a long list of publications in Cuba. Tabío Palma also produced one of the great doctoral theses of Peruvian archaeology developed via Marxist theory (1969b) in which he applied this methodology to archaeological material from the Casma, Huarmey, and Fortaleza valleys on the Central Coast of Perú

Further Data on Fell Points from the Southern Cone of South America

Early projectile points frequently referred to as “fishtails” or “Fell” are found from northern Mesoamerica to the southern tip of South America. Becoming a widespread PaleoAmerican marker spanning ∼11,000–10,000 radiocarbon years ago, these points are found in the highest concentration in the Southern Cone of South America. To continue documenting and adding data on this topic, in this brief report we present morpho-technological observations on six specimens recently documented in the Republics of Uruguay and Argentina. The points in this sample resemble other Fell points in their general shape, straight and rounded shoulders, resharpening, and overall dimensions.Fil: Nami, Hugo Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Yataco Capcha, Juan. Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; Per

New taphonomic approach applied to the Late Pleistocene bone remains from Pikimachay Cave, Ayacucho Basin, Peru: possible implications for the debate on human colonisation of western South America

The Pikimachay cave in south-eastern Peru had an important role in archaeological discussions concerning the first peopling of South America, and the Southern Andes in particular. The excavations by Richard MacNeish in 1969-1970 identified a sequence of possible but controversial Late Pleistocene human occupations up to historical times. As a part of a research programme aiming to re-assess the Late Pleistocene remains from this site, we made taphonomic observations on a sample of bones (n=40) from the lower strata (layers h to k) as follows: h (n=17), h1 (n=6), i (n=4), i1 (n=7), j (n=5), and k (n=1). The conventional uncalibrated radiocarbon dates initially obtained suggest that these layers span a period of ~14.0 to 25.0 thousand years before present (kybp). Each bone was thoroughly examined to determine the nature of modifications to them, and to describe alterations and the general condition of the specimens in order to identify possible anthropic intervention. For this purpose, we examined the surface modifications indicating fresh or post-depositional fractures, the different kinds of marks, weathering, and the presence of manganese staining. We concluded that several bones (n=8) from layer h showed various human-made modifications. We can therefore suggest that this new information justifies the assumption that the bones and lithic materials from layer h would have been produced during the Early Holocene/Late Pleistocene between ~≥9.0/10.0 and ~14.1, probably at ~14.1 kybp; an assumption that can also be considered for the stone remains from the underlying strata h1 that yielded a similar date. The bone remains from strata j to k do not show any human modifications. Furthermore, if the reported chronology and its association with the anthropic remains are true, the Pikimachay cave could still be relevant to the debate over the human colonisation of western South America that occurred within a similar timeframe during the postglacial era

XRF obsidian analysis from Ayacucho Basin in Huamanga province, south-eastern Peru

Obsidian was broadly used along the Andean Cordillera in South America. Particularly in Peru, its use can be traced to the earliest human occupations, continuously through pre-Columbian times to contemporary Andean agro-pastoralist societies. In order to distinguish the provenance of obsidians from Peru, this paper reports a new X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis on several obsidians obtained in surface collections of the Ayacucho region. The analysis and source determination were made by XRF on 52 specimens. The source assignments involved comparisons between the compositional data for the specimens and the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) XRF obsidian database for sources in Peru. After analysing the samples, obsidian sources were recognized and documented. All had small nodules not larger than about 4 cm. They were recovered from Ñahuinpuquio and Marcahuilca hill which belonged to the previously identified Puzolana source. Another identified source was the well-known Quispisisa, located 120 km south of the city of Ayacucho, and distributed through a vast region in central Peru. The results expand previous observations made on the obsidian provenance at Ayacucho Basin, as well as the extension of the Puzolana source between Yanama and Huarpa hills, south of Ayacucho city.Fil: Giesso, Martín. Northeastern University; Estados UnidosFil: Nami, Hugo Gabriel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas; ArgentinaFil: Yataco Capcha, J. J.. Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; PerúFil: Glascock, Michael D. University of Missouri; Estados UnidosFil: Macdonald, Brandi Lee. University of Missouri; Estados Unido