New Archaeological Evidences from the Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene Paso Otero 5 Site (Pampean Region, Argentina)

The archaeological knowledge of the early human occupations of the Pampean Region has improved through the finding of new archaeological sites dated between 10,000 and 11,200 RCYBP (Martínez et al. 2003; Politis 2003). Among them, Paso Otero 5 (Martínez 2001), chronologically located between ca. 10,000 and 10,400 years BP, is characterized by the presence of extinct megamammals and modern species in association with “fish tail” projectile points (Holliday et al. in press; Martínez 2001; Martínez et al. 2003). The goal of this paper is to update the information recovered from the site. As part of a broader archaeological project, data on fauna, lithic, stratigraphy, chronology, pollen, silicophytoliths, diatoms, stable isotopes on gastropods, geoarchaeology, taphonomy, and diagenesis have been recovered (Martínez et al. 2003). In this paper we present preliminary results of faunal and lithic analyses, present new C ages, and discuss the C chronology in light of bone diagenesis and preservation. Analyses of other materials are in process. The site was discovered in 1994 and it has been studied since then. The current excavated surface is 98 m. A total of ca. 80,000 complete and fragmented bones of extinct megamammals and modern species were recorded. Among them, only 58 bone specimens are taxonomically determinable (Table 1). The preliminary bone analysis shows a high degree of fragmentation and an extremely high proportion of burnt bone (ca. 91%). The total number of lithic artifacts is 85. Among them, 79 are small flakes and debris, mostly on quartzite. The most relevant tools recorded are two fractured “fish-tail” projectile points, and a stem