Manufacturing and use of the wooden artifacts. A use-wear analysis of wood technology in hunter-gatherer groups (Cerro Casa de Piedra 7 site, Argentina)

Abstract

In general, the recovery of wooden artifacts happens in submerged or subaquatic contexts and archeological deposits with a high level of humidity in sediments. Whereas in completely dry contexts, without significant oscillations in temperature and humidity, the recovery of wooden artifacts is much smaller. The main aim of this work is to study the technological processes of wooden artifacts recovered in dry contexts. That is to say, to know what woody species were used as raw material and infer in which way these artifacts were made up. To this end, wooden artifacts were studied coming from archeological patagonian sites, attributable to hunter-gatherer groups. Four wooden artifacts were analysed of Cerro Casa de Piedra 7 site (ca. 10.690 ± 120–3.480 years BP) (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina). The study of the technological processes of these four artifacts allowed to determine the woody species used as raw material and the anatomical part employed as a support. The morphological characteristics and the use-wear results obtained allow to consider two stages in the manufacture of these artifacts. Finally, the use-wear analysis enabled us to identify certain type of traces that allowed us to raise possible ways of use and/or management of some of the artifacts.