Microliths and Polished Stone Tools during the Pleistocene-Holocene Transition and Early Holocene in South America: The Lagoa Santa Lithic Industry

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe Lagoa Santa region, located in southeastern Brazil, has been studied archaeologically since the nineteenth century. Paleoindian lithic industries in Brazil have often been associated with archaeological cultures known as the Itaparica Tradition (central and northeastern Brazil) and the Umbu Tradition (southeastern and southern Brazil, Uruguay and surrounding areas of other countries). However, research at Lagoa Santa never pointed to any cultural similarities between its lithic industry and Itaparica or Umbu. Instead, the Lagoa Santa region seems to present a local lithic industry that has been formally referred to as the Lagoa Santa Tradition, which is part of the Lagoa Santa archaeological culture. This article discusses data from previous and new lithic studies at sites from Lagoa Santa dated between 13,000 and 8000 cal yr BP.