ESTRUCTURA Y EXPLOTACIÓN DE LOS RECURSOS LÍTICOS EN EL SECTOR MERIDIONAL DE LA MESETA CENTRAL DE SANTA CRUZ, ARGENTINA

Se busca delinear la estructura de recursos liticos del sector meridional del macizo del Deseado, Santa Cruz, Argentina. Se analiza la disponibilidad y distribucion de materias primas, la variabilidad litologica, y las caracteristicas espaciales de las fuentes. Ademas, se estudia la relacion entre las fuentes y los sitios arqueologicos. Los resultados indican que existe alta disponibilidad y distribucion de materias primas siliceas, de calidad regular a muy buena. Suelen aflorar sobre la formacion chon aike y se concentran en fuentes de aprovisionamiento que en su mayoria fueron utilizadas como canteras o canteras taller por los grupos que habitaron la region. ABSTRACT This paper seeks to describe the structure of lithic resources in the meridional area of the Desado massif, in the province of Santa Cruz, Argentina. The availability and distribution of raw materials are analyzed, as well as their lithological variability and the spatial characteristics of the sources. The relationship between the sources and the archaeological sites is also studied. Results show that there is a high availability and distribution of siliceous raw materials. Their quality for knapping ranges from very good to regular. Usually they emerge in the chon aike formation and are gathered in sources which were usually used as quarries or quarries/workshops by the groups which inhabited the region.