Rioclarense Culture Definition, Lithic Technology, and the Case of the Alice Boer and Caetetuba Sites (São Paulo State, Brazil)

ABSTRACT In recent years, Paleoamerican sites from central São Paulo state (Brazil) have been associated with a lithic industry known as Rioclarense, but only due the presence of stemmed points and lesmas. Although a few studies on a few sites have been previously presented regarding chronology, formation processes and technology of the lithic points, the complete technological study of the industry was still lacking. This study objective is to present a definition of the Rioclarense Culture. Known (so far) only by its lithic industry, it can be identified by the presence of the Rioclarense-type points and/or lesmas, and/or flakes, preforms and other tools with specific technological features. This article includes a short review on the Rioclarense Culture and ‘Umbu Tradition’ definitions and the first technological description of all classes of lithic materials of two Rioclarense-associated sites dating to the Early and Middle Holocene: Caetetuba and Alice Boer.