Technology and Use of Lithic Raw Materials from the Delta of the Paraná River and the Interior of the Province of Entre Ríos, Argentina. Preliminary Results of the Application of Micro-wear Analysis

This paper presents the first results of the technological and functional analysis of some lithic assemblages from archaeological sites located in the Paraná Delta and interior of the province of Entre Ríos (Los Tres Cerros 1 and 2, Los Laureles, Tapera Vázquez, Cementerio de Los Indios, Laguna del Negro 1 and El Cerrito de Puerto Esquina). These assemblies are manufactured in various raw materials, widely prevailing different varieties of silicified sandstone and secondarily others such as silica, quartz, and silicified limestone. They come from different geological formations located within the Paraná River basin and along the Uruguay River basin. From a techno-morphological point of view, they are characterized by the wide variability of base forms, very little representation of retouched edges, a high frequency of flakes and fragments with natural edges, and potentially usable surfaces. The micro-wear analysis allowed us to characterize the uses of the artifacts and the presence of post-depositional alterations. The uses of the edges correspond to the work on several materials such as wood, non-woody vegetables, bones, and hide. Regarding the kinematics, traces developed by longitudinal and transverse actions with different working angles could be observed. These results provided relevant information about the selection of raw materials for the manufacture of artifacts with specific or versatile uses, as well as the relationship between morphology and function and the context of use, thus generating a deeper approach to the study of the dynamics of production and consumption of different resources.