Distribution and variability of the surface archaeological record in Cerro Dragón (Chubut province) and Koluel Kaike, Piedra Clavada (Santa Cruz province)

Abstract

The studies that are framed within the denominated contract archeology, specifically those related to studies of environmental impact, have reviewed in recent years an important source of information on the characteristics of the archaeological heritage of different regions of the Argentine Republic. In this context, the results presented in this work belong to the Baseline Study corresponding to two areas of oil exploitation. These areas are located in the San Jorge Hydrocarbon Basin (Cerro Dragón, Chubut province, and Koluel Kaike-Piedra Clavada, Santa Cruz province). The information obtained, as a product of the surface survey allowed to perform a set of analyzes that allowed the characterization of the archaeological record of an important area over which there is practically no antecedents. We analyzed the distribution of different types of findings, the raw materials used and aspects of the technologies represented in the sample. We calculated the richness and homogeneity and the possible association between different landscape units and the different analytical categories used. The obtained results show the existence of a distribution of the archaeological record in surface that is expressed of heterogenous form between the different units of the landscape analyzed, being the greater densities in those areas near critical resources such as water sources.