Continuous spatial models as an aid for sourcing lithic raw materials: Examples from the Argentine Pampas and Patagonia

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss an approach to formulate testable hypothesis about the location of lithic raw material sources based on the use of continuous spatial models of the percentage representation of rocks in georeferenced artefact assemblages. Although not new, this approach has only recently begun to be explored in depth. Its logic is simple: in continuous surfaces, conspicuous peaks or bulges of relative frequency are expected to occur—under certain conditions—at or near the sources; a peak or bulge that not coincide with the location of some previously described source may alert about the likely presence of an undetected supply area, thus helping in planning problem-oriented surveys and implementing more analytical sourcing activities. Due to the nature of the input data, i.e. relative frequencies, it is expected that the method perform well in areas relatively rich of raw material sources and when dealing with sources consistently utilized through time. To exemplify the approach, we present two case studies from southern South America (Southern Pampas/North-eastern Patagonia and South-western Patagonia; República Argentina).