A orillas del Pirgua. Representaciones rupestres en el sitio Río Pirgua 1 (Guachipas, Salta)

Abstract

The department of Guachipas, Salta (Northwestern Argentina) is characterized by a concentration of archaeological sites, some of them standout because of their rock art. In this article, the Rio Pirgua 1 site is described, with its rock art being compared with that from other sites in the Las Juntas micro-region. The analyzed set consisted of 96 painted motifs that included shield-shape motifs (characteristic of this area), human figures and camelids in different poses. These representations were the product of three phases of conception. The most recent coinciding with the Inca presence in the region (A.D. 1450-1535), another phase dating to the Regional Developments Period (A.D. 900-1450), and an earlier one corresponding to the first millennium of the Christian era (A.D. 0-900). Here we discuss these temporal adscriptions.