Woody Plants

Journal of Archaeological Science 31 (2004) 1361e1372

http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jas

Woody plant resources in the Southern Argentine Puna:Punta de la Pena 9 archaeological site

Marıa Fernanda Rodrıguez)

Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientıficas y Tecnicas, Instituto de Botanica Darwinion, Labarden 200,

C.C. 22 (1642) San Isidro, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Received 5 June 2003; received in revised form 11 February 2004

Abstract

Woody plant species used as fuel by human groups in the transition phase from hunter gatherer to agricultural economies duringLate Holocene, were studied from materials recovered at an archaeological site of the Southern Argentine Puna, Catamarca

Province: Punta de la Pena 9. The comparative anatomical and morphological analysis of present day and archaeological plantsallowed the identification of the latter. These analyses were done with Scanning Electron Microscope. The results indicated the useof four species, which developed in landscape units of the area surrounding the site.

� 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Charcoal; Woody plant species; Plant resources; Archaeobotanical record; Archaeobotany; Anatomical analysis; Paleoenvironment

1. Introduction

The use of woody plant species by human groupsduring Late Holocene was investigated. These groupswere in the transition phase from hunter gatherer to agri-cultural economies. The research is based on materialsrecovered at the archaeological site Punta de la Pena 9(PP9), situated in the Southern Argentine Puna, Cata-marca Province, at the locality of Antofagasta de laSierra (Fig. 1). An initial analysis of the present day florain the area was made as a reference to be used for thestudy of the archaeobotanical record.

The archaeological site PP9 is situated in the in-termediate sectors of Las Pitas River BasindPunta de laPena archaeological localitydat 26( 01# 616$ S latitudeand 67( 20# 513$ W longitude and at 3620 m altitude[8,10]. Three sectors were defined within this site. Sector Iis composed of three structures next to Las Pitas River;third of which, a residential subcircular structure, wasexcavated. A complete prospecting of this sector wascarried out, recovering milling stone tools at the surface(Babot, pers. comm.). On the other side, Sector III is

) Tel.: C5411-4743-4800; fax: C5411-4747-4748.

E-mail address: [email protected]

0305-4403/$ - see front matter � 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2004.02.014

contiguous to the previous one and toward the west, ina benchmark somewhat higher, and is formed by fivearchitectural structures situated near an ignimbritemountain, which is the limit of the site. These structureshave mainly circular contours and the walls thatsurround them were built using ignimbrites [8,10]. Thesediment of PP9 is homogeneous. It consists of a dry andsander matrix. The main modifications respond to sub-stratum alterations caused by human use [10].

From the stratigraphical analysis of the site, thespatial distribution of contexts and the radiocarbon datafor Sector III, Lopez Campeny [10] proposes a recurrentutilization of PP9 during a space of 1500 years (2000e500years BP). The radiocarbon dates belonging to the firstand last occupations of Sector III are the following:1970G50 years BP (UGA 9076, charcoal) and 530G50years BP (UGA 9260, guano). Also, each one of thesereoccupations implied differential use of the site space,with changes registered in the functionality and in re-lation to the activities that took place there [8,9].

Structure 3 of Sector I is the focus of this work. Fourstratigraphic layers were differentiated in the same area.Six artificial levels, because no variations were foundin the sediment, were defined in layer 1. Layer 2 pre-sents guano remains. Layer 3, that represents the main

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jas

1362 M.F. Rodrıguez / Journal of Archaeological Science 31 (2004) 1361e1372

Fig. 1. Location of Punta de la Pena 9 archaeological site, Antofagasta de la Sierra, Catamarca, Argentina. Landscape units: ‘‘tolar’’, lowland and

rangeland. T1, T2 and T3: transects 1e3.

occupation of this structure, has a remainder ofa compacted floor. Layer 4 could be an extension ofthe third one (Babot, pers. comm.). The woody plantspecies in the form of charcoal recovered in layers 3and 4 were analysed. These layers were chosen due tothe forementioned characteristics. Below these layersa sterile floor was reached that was denominated‘‘plain’’ of PP9 (Aschero, pers. comm.). At this moment,radiocarbon dates are not yet available for thisstructure.

Thus, the following objectives were established:

1- To identify scientifically the archaeological woodyspecies through a comparative morphological andanatomical analysis with the present day foundspecies of the study area.

2- To determine the origin of plant resources used inPP9 based on their distribution in the currentenvironment, considering the paleoenvironmentalchanges in the area.

Moreover, the hypothesis proposed was that thehuman groups who lived in PP9 during the Late Holo-cene used woody plant species, which grew in variouslandscape units surrounding the site. The environmentalcharacteristics of the Puna region, such as the absenceof trees, and the high plant resource concentrations insome areas, as at the Antofagasta de la Sierra locality,made possible this behaviour in relation to resourcesselection.

2. Geographical and environmental framework

The study area, Antofagasta de la Sierra, is located inthe southern end of the Puna. This region ranges fromthe south of Peru and centre of Bolivia to the Northwestof Argentina, at 7e27( S and 3500e5500 m altitude[1,4,15] (Fig. 1).

Troll [17] recognized three zones based on the charac-teristics of the vegetation and the patterns of humanbehaviour: humid Puna, dry Puna and salty Puna. Thisstudy is concerned with the salty Puna, because Antofa-gasta de la Sierra is contained within it. This area rangesfromLirima, 20( S, to theAtacamaDesert. It is extremelyarid; precipitation decreases from levels of 300 mm thatare found in the north to zero in the Atacama Desert [1].In Argentina, the Puna extends through the western halfof Jujuy, and the west of Salta into the northern partof Catamarca [3,4].

The Puna has sandy or stony soils, which areimmature and skeletal. Organic decomposition is veryslow and humus is scarce. On the other hand, peatdevelops in the lowland, where there are water springs[3,4]. The climate is dry and cold and is characterised bygreat daily thermal amplitude; it rains almost only insummer and most of the year there is no snow.Precipitation takes place as hail or snow in the highmountains; these vary in the different areas of the Puna,as well as throughout the year and between years. Thisvariation in the rainfall makes it possible to divide the

1363M.F. Rodrıguez / Journal of Archaeological Science 31 (2004) 1361e1372

Argentine Puna into two zones: the Puna of Jujuy,which occupies the more humid part of the Northwest,with permanent rivers and more abundant vegetationand the Puna of Atacama, to the Southwest, that is veryarid, without rivers and with large salt mines [3,4], whereAntofagasta de la Sierra is located [15].

From the phytogeographical point of view, thestudied area corresponds to the Punena Province ofthe Andean Dominion. In this Province, the dominantvegetation is the bushy steppe, but the herbaceous,halophyte and sammophile steppes and lowland arealso present. This Province occupies almost the wholearea of the Puna, stretching along the high mountainsand plateau of the Argentine Northwest, from Jujuyto La Rioja. Its lower limit is the Prepunena Provinceand the upper limit is the Altoandina Province[4,5,15].

The site PP9 is situated in ‘‘tolar’’ landscape unit, at3600 m altitude, where shrub and sub-shrub species ofthe genera Parastrephia, Acantholippia, Adesmia, Bac-charis and Fabiana are abundant. Close to the site, low-land terrain develops, characterised by a plant cover, thatincludes species from the Poaceae and Juncaceae. At6.5 km from PP9, 3800 m altitude, rangeland begins,where species of Poaceae are predominant. Also, sub-shrub species of Adesmia, Baccharis and Fabiana generaare present (Fig. 1). The proportion of plant speciesused for fuel represented in each landscape unitd‘‘tolar’’, lowland and rangelanddis summarized inTable 1.

3. Materials and methods

The starting point of the study was the survey,taxonomic identification and anatomical analysis of pre-sent day plant species in the area in order to compare theresults with the archaeological record of the site PP9(Figs. 2e10).

3.1. Present day material

Three transects in different directions from PP9 andanother seven within the area, following natural topo-graphic relief, that connected different microenviron-ments, were made [16]. For each transect, the direction,route, distance, duration of the walk, characteristicsand changes in the vegetation related to the type of soils

Table 1

Woody species collected in different landscape unitsd‘‘tolar’’, lowland

and rangelanddand their use as fuel in Punta de la Pena 9

archaeological site

Landscape

units

Dominant genera of

woody species/families

of herbaceous species

Estimated proportion

of woody plant

species used as fuel

in PP9 (%)

‘‘Tolar’’ Parastrephia, Acantholippia,

Adesmia, Baccharis and

Fabiana

60

Rangeland Adesmia, Baccharis and

Fabiana/Poaceae

40

Lowland Poaceae and Juncaceae 0

Fig. 2. Acantholippia deserticola. Archaeological charcoal. Scanning Electron Micrographs. (aec) Sample 14, layer 3: (a) in CS, (b) in CS, detail of

radial cells and vessels (bundles); (c) in TLS; (d) sample 16, layer 3, in TLS, detail of vessels. Bars: a, cZ 20 mm; b, dZ 10 mm.


Fig. 3. Adesmia horrida. Archaeological charcoal. Scanning Electron Micrographs. (a, b) Sample 1, layer 3: (a) in CS, (b) in TLS; (c, d) sample 2, layer

3: (c) in CS, (d) in TLS, detail of vessels; (e, f) sample 3, layer 3: (e) in CS, (f) in TLS, detail of vessels. Bars: a, bZ 100 mm; cefZ 50 mm.

and the presence or absence of water were considered.In all cases, a relevant geographic point was taken asreference, as watercourses or landscape units and thetime used to get there was measured. On the way back,voucher plants were collected. These were taxonomicallyidentified and deposited at the Herbarium of theInstituto de Botanica Darwinion (SI, the Institutionalacronym referenced in [7]).

The transects radiating from the site PP9 were thefollowing (Fig. 1):

1- Punta de la PenaeQuebrada Seca; 3600e4000 maltitude. Landscape units: ‘‘tolar’’ and rangeland.Direction: SE. Distance: 8 km.

2- Punta de la PenaeLas Juntas, along the course ofLas Pitas River; 3600e3800 m altitude. Landscapeunit: lowland. Direction: NE. Distance: 4 km.

3- Penas ColoradasePunta de la Pena, along thecourse of Las Pitas River; 3600e3500 m altitude.

Landscape unit: lowland. Direction: NE. Distance:2 km.

In the first transect it was possible to collect all thewoody species (100%) that could have been used for fuel.

In order to carry out anatomical analysis of roots andwoody stems of the reference collection, the followingprocedures were followed: pieces of stems and roots ofthe collected specimens were separated, boiled accordingto their hardness with drops of a commercially useddetergent and placed in 70( alcohol. Then, histologicalcross-sections and longitudinal sections of the plantswere carried out with a sliding microtome. The bestsections were selected under a microscope, cleared withsodium hypochlorite (bleach) and stained with safraninefast green. Finally, they were mounted in artificialCanada balsam [6,14,15].

The histological sections were observed and photo-graphed with a light microscope. This observation


Fig. 4. Adesmia horrida. Archaeological charcoal. Scanning Electron Micrographs. (a) Sample 10, layer 3, in CS; (b) sample 11, layer 3, in TLS, detail

of rays; (c) sample 10, layer 3, in RLS; (d, e) sample 9, layer 3: (d) in CS, (e) in TLS; (f) sample 12 (root), layer 3, in CS; (g) sample 12, layer 3, in RLS.

Bars: aegZ 100 mm.

allowed the analysis of the anatomy of the present dayplants taking into account the following characters:vessels (shape, size, quantity and disposition), paren-chyma (type and disposition), rays (length and quantity,cell type), fibers (quantity and characteristics), growthrings (marked or not). Cross and longitudinal sectionswere considered (Figs. 8e10).

3.2. Examined material

The present day material mentioned here is only thatwhich corresponds to the archaeological species re-covered in PP9.

- Acantholippia deserticola (Phil.) MoldenkeArgentina, Catamarca, Antofagasta de la Sierra

Department, 3600 m altitude, Collector:M. FernandaRodrıguez (December, 1998), Rodrıguez 1 (SI).

- Adesmia horrida Gillies ex Hook. & Arn.Argentina, Catamarca, Antofagasta de la Sierra

Department, 3600 m altitude, Collector:M. FernandaRodrıguez (March, 1996), SI 28288.

Argentina, Catamarca, Antofagasta de la SierraDepartment, 4000 m altitude, Collector:M. FernandaRodrıguez (December, 1998), Rodrıguez 13 (SI).

Argentina, Catamarca, Antofagasta de laSierra Department, 3600 m altitude, Collector:M.FernandaRodrıguez (November, 1999),Rodrıguez20 (SI).

- Fabiana bryoides Phil.Argentina, Catamarca, Antofagasta de la Sierra

Department, 3650 m altitude, Collector:M. FernandaRodrıguez (January, 1994), SI 28217.

Argentina, Catamarca, Antofagasta de la SierraDepartment, 3650 m altitude, Collector:M. FernandaRodrıguez (March, 1996), SI 28331.


Fig. 5. Adesmia horrida. Archaeological charcoal. Scanning Electron Micrographs. (aec) Sample 13 (root), layer 3: (a) in CS, (b) in CS, detail of

radial cells and pits, (c) in TLS; (def) sample 17, layer 3: (d) in CS, (e) in CS, detail of radial cells with pits, (f) in TLS; (g, h) sample 1, layer 4: (g) in

CS, (h) in TLS. Bars: aZ 100 mm, bZ 6 mm; c, dZ 30 mm; eZ 6 mm; fZ 30 mm; g, hZ 100 mm.

Argentina, Catamarca, Antofagasta de la SierraDepartment, 3650m altitude, Collector: M. FernandaRodrıguez (January, 1994), SI 28217.

- Parastrephia quadrangularis (Meyen) CabreraArgentina, Catamarca, Antofagasta de la Sierra

Department, 3600 m altitude, Collector:M. FernandaRodrıguez (March, 1996), SI 28325.

3.3. Archaeological material

The excavation of the site was carried out by sectorialdecapage following natural layers. At each level ofoccupation squares of 1m!1m were drawn and sub-divided into microsectors of 0:5m!0:5m. The last oneswere the real units of excavation. Within each one ofthese the documented material was separated into floorsof scale 1:10 and collected in a sieve (mesh of 1.5 mm) [2].

From recovered plant macroremains, the woodyspecies (charcoal) were considered. Cross and longitudi-nal sections of pieces of charcoal were carried out withrazor blades under a microscope. They were observedand photographed using a Scanning ElectronMicroscope(SEM) at the Smithsonian Institution Laboratory (Figs.2e7).

The scientific identification was made by anatomicaland morphological comparison with present day woodymaterial of reference collection, considering the charac-ters mentioned above.

3.4. Examined material

Layer 3: lot M88, samples 1e17, recovered frommicrosector D4A.

Layer 4: lot M99, samples 1 and 2, recovered frommicrosector E4B.


Fig. 6. Fabiana bryoides. Archaeological charcoal. Scanning Electron Micrographs. (a, b) Sample 7, layer 3: (a) in CS, (b) in TLS; (cef) sample 2,

layer 4: (c, d) in CS, (e) in TLS, (f) in TLS, detail of rays and vessels with pits. Bars: a, bZ 30 mm; cZ 200 mm; d, eZ 100 mm; fZ 10 mm.

4. Results

In the archaeobotanical record of the site PP9, thefollowing woody species used as fuel were recovered.Both archaeological and reference present day materialwere described.

(1) Acantholippia deserticola (Phil.) Moldenke. Fam-ily Verbenaceae. Vernacular name: ‘‘rica-rica’’ (Figs. 2and 8)

Cross-section (CS) [Figs. 2 (a, b) and 8 (a, b)]Marked growth rings. Subcircular porosity. Vessels

with angular contour and thickened walls. These

Fig. 7. Parastrephia quadrangularis. Archaeological charcoal. Scanning Electron Micrographs. (aec) Sample 8, layer 3: (a) in CS, (b) in TLS, detail of

rays, (c) in RLS. Bars: a, bZ 30 mm; cZ 100 mm.


Fig. 8. Acantholippia deserticola. Comparative present day material. Light microscope micrographs. (a, b) Stem in CS; (c, d) stem in TLS. Bars:

aedZ 50 mm.

elements are disposed in short (2e3 vessels wide) radialand tangential series, bundles and solitary vessels. Thereare also few large (6 vessels) series. Fibers with thickenedwalls, sometimes surrounding the vessels. Vasicentricparatracheal axial parenchyma with thin wall cells.

Tangential longitudinal section (TLS) [Figs. 2 (c, d)and 8 (c, d)]

Vascular elements relatively large are connected byalternating border pits and simple and oblique perfora-tion plates. Heterogeneous ray system; uniserial andpluriserial rays (2e4 cells). Heterocellular rays. Helicalsecondary thickenings throughout body of vesselelement.

Archaeological material (Fig. 2)Samples 14 and 16. Lot M88. Layer 3.(2) Adesmia horrida Gillies ex Hook. & Arn., Family

Fabaceae. Vernacular name: ‘‘anawa’’ (Figs. 3e5 and 9)Cross-section [Figs. 3 (a, c, e), 4 (a, d, e), 5 (a, b, d, e,

g) and 9 (a, b)]Marked growth rings. Subcircular porosity in the stem

and diffuse in the root. Vessels with circular contour andthick walls. In the stem, vessels in tangential series anda dendrite disposition. There are also bundles, short (2e3vessels) and long (7e9 vessels) seried rays and a fewsolitary vessels. In the root,most of the vessels are solitarybut there are also some short radial and tangential series.Abundant fibers with thickened walls. Paratracheal axial

parenchyma in bands in stem and root. Parenchyma cellswith thin walls. Crystalliferous radial parenchyma.

Tangential [Figs. 3 (b, d, f), 4 (b, e), 5 (c, f, h), 9 (c,d)] and radial [Figs. 4 (c, g) and 9 (e)] longitudinalsections (RLS)

Vascular elements relatively short; communicated byalternating border pits and simple and oblique perfora-tion plates. Heterogeneous radial system. Few uniserialand numerous pluriserial radios with 2e3 cells of widthin the stem and 3e10 cells of width in the root. Helicalsecondary thickenings throughout the body of vesselelement. Heterocellular rays; vertical, cubic and pro-cumbent cells (RLS).

Archaeological material (Figs. 3e5)Samples 1e6, 9e13, 15 and 17. Lot M88. Layer 3.Sample 1. Lot M99. Layer 4.(3) Fabiana bryoides Phil., Family Solanaceae.

Vernacular name: ‘‘pata de perdiz’’ (Figs. 6 and 10)Cross-section [Figs. 6 (a, c, d) and 10 (a, b)]Marked growth rings. Subcircular porosity. Vessels

with angular contour and thin walls; solitary, short (2e3vessels) radial and tangential series. The scarce axialparenchyma is paratracheal and diffuse apotracheal.There is also an initial parenchyma, which limited thegrowth rings together with the vessels.

Tangential longitudinal section [Figs. 6 (b, e, f) and10 (c)]


Fig. 9. Adesmia horrida. Comparative present day material. Light microscope micrographs. (a, b) in CS: (a) stem, (b) root; (c, d) stem in TLS; (e) stem

in RLS. Bars: aee= 50 mm.

Vascular elements with variable size; simple perfora-tion plates, more or less oblique. The fibrotracheidspresent thin walls; border pits. Heterocellular rays.Heterogeneous ray system; uniseriated and partiallybiseriated rays.

Archaeological material (Fig. 6)Sample 7. Lot M88. Layer 3.Sample 2. Lot M99. Layer 4.(4) Parastrephiaquadrangularis (Meyen)Cabrera,Fam-

ily Asteraceae. Vernacular name: ‘‘tolar’’ (Figs. 7 and 10)Cross-section [Figs. 7 (a) and 10 (d)]No marked growth rings. Diffuse porosity. Vessels

with circular contour and very reduced diameter. Theyare found solitary, in bundles, in short (2e3 vessels) and

long (7e10 vessels) radial series and among the rays andthe fibers with a dendritic tendency. Abundant fiberswith thickened walls. Diffuse and scarce paratrachealaxial parenchyma.

Tangential [Figs. 7 (b) and 10 (e)] and radial [Figs. 7(c) and 10 ( f)] longitudinal sections

Vascular elements relatively short; connected byalternating simple border pits, but somewhat inclinedperforation plates. Fibers with scarce pits. Multiseriatedrays, but some of them have uniseriated portions; so thatthe radial system is heterogeneous. Rays very high andheterocellular, with vertical and procumbent cells.

Archaeological material (Fig. 7)Sample 8. Lot M88. Layer 3.


Fig. 10. Comparative present day material. Light microscope micrographs. (aec) Fabiana bryoides, stem: (a, b) in CS, (c) in TLS; (def) Parastrephia

quadrangularis, stem: (d) in CS, (e) in TLS, (f) in RLS. Bars: aefZ 50 mm.

5. Discussion

The woody archaeological species recovered in PP9(Fig. 11) were also collected in the area surroundingthe site. All of them grow in the rangeland and ‘‘tolar’’found there at present. So, these landscape units werethe probable source origin of the species used as fuel inPP9. On this basis, the hypothesis formulated at thebeginning could be confirmed. It established the use of thementioned units by the inhabitants of PP9 to obtainfirewood.

Although, there are no radiocarbon dates for SectorI, the contextual associations and samples dated fromthe contiguous sector (Sector III) indicate the use of thesite during Late Holocene (4000 years BP and onward).Since that period, the climate would have been similar tothe current one [11,12]. Therefore, plant communities ofthe area then could have the same distribution andcharacteristics to those found at present time. So, it ispossible to infer the distances travelled to obtain woodyplant resources.

Considering these present day plant resources, thedistances travelled range between 0 and 6 km from the

site. But it is probable that the radius increased up to10e12 km when resources were scarce in the areasurrounding PP9.

The inhabitants of PP9 used four plant species forfirewood, but A. horrida was the one most found inthe archaeobotanical record (Figs. 2e7 and 11). The

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Paras.Fab.Ad.Acanth.Species

Num

ber o

f spe

cim

ens

Fig. 11. Woody species found in PP9. Abbreviations: Acanth.:

Acantholippia deserticola; Ad.: Adesmia horrida; Fab.: Fabiana

bryoides; Paras.: Parastrephia quadrangularis.


characteristics of the wood ofAdesmia, a good fuel sourcefor its caloric power, allowed us to infer the importance ofthis species for roasting meat and producing warmth [15].The previously mentioned characteristics and its highfrequency found at present in the area explain theabundance that was also found in the archaeologicalrecord.

These plant species were recovered in other archae-ological sites of the area, such as Cueva Salamanca 1,Punta de la Pena 3, Punta de la Pena 4, Punta de la Pena11 and Quebrada Seca 3. The first four sites are situatedin Punta de la Pena archaeological locality, ‘‘tolar’’landscape unit, the same as PP9. Quebrada Seca 3 is inQuebrada Seca archaeological locality, rangeland land-scape unit [14e16].

The frequencies of woody species recovered from oneof these other sites, Quebrada Seca 3, level 2b5(5380G70 years BP; BETA 59927, charcoal) were simi-lar to those obtained in PP9 (Fig. 11). The level 2b5corresponds to the end of the Middle Holocene and thebeginnings of the Late Holocene, therefore it is com-parable to PP9, keeping in mind the chronology pro-posed for the latter site. In this level a high number ofspecimens of A. horrida and a smaller quantity of P.quadrangularis, F. bryoides and Fabiana punensis S.C.Arroyo were recovered ([15], see Fig. 11). On the otherhand, at the archaeological sites located in Punta de laPena (Punta de la Pena 3, 4 and 11), all the plant speciespresent in the archaeobotanical record of PP9 wererecovered in layers and/or levels corresponding to theLate Holocene. The Middle Holocene record of CuevaSalamanca 1 is similar to that of PP9 by consideringplant remains [13,16].

It is interesting to emphasize the excellent conserva-tion of the archaeological material due to the climaticcharacteristics of the area. So, it is possible to discardthe taphonomic process, which could affect differentplant species preservation.

Lastly, from the methodological point of view, theidentification of plant species recovered in the archae-obotanical record was possible by the comparative anato-mical analysis in relation to present daymaterial collectedin the study area. Use of the Scanning Electron Micro-scope (SEM) provided highly resolved detailed imagesof stem and root structures of woody species (Figs. 2e7),so that wood anatomy would not be transformed somuch by combustion. Thus, the structural analysis ofcharred wood is possible in most of the cases.

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to the Smithsonian Institution forfinancial and technical support through a Short TermVisitor Grant and to Dr. Bruce Smith for project guid-ance and advisory support.

I specially thank Mrs Susann Braden for her invalu-able help and assistance in the Scanning ElectronMicroscope Laboratory.

I also thank Lic. Carlos Aschero for allowing me toparticipate in his project and for his support during thatstage, to the Archaeologists Marıa del Pilar Babot andSara Marıa Luisa Lopez, for giving me informationabout the archaeological site and to Dr. Jan Saundersfor her valuable help in the English revision of thispaper. The excavation of the archaeological sitewas financed by the projects: CIUNT G-105 and PICT9888.

References

[1] C. Baied, J. Wheeler, Evolution of high Andean Puna ecosystems:

environment, climate and culture change over the last 12000 years

in Central Andes, Mountain Research and Development 13 (2)

(1993) 145e156.

[2] M.P. Babot, C. Haros, L. Gonzalez Baroni, R.M. Zelada Juarez,

L.N. Gonzalez Dıaz, Inventario de los materiales de la Estructura

3 del sitio PP9-1, Antofagasta de la Sierra, Instituto de

Arqueologıa y Museo, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto

Miguel Lillo, Manuscript, 2003.

[3] A.L. Cabrera, La vegetacion de la Puna Argentina, Revista de

Investigaciones Agrıcolas 11 (1) (1957) 317e413.

[4] A.L. Cabrera, Regiones fitogeograficas Argentinas, fascıculo 1, in:

W.F. Kugler (Ed.), Enciclopedia Argentina de Agricultura y

Jardinerıa, second ed., vol. 2, Acme S.A.C.I., Buenos Aires, 1976,

85 pp.

[5] A.L. Cabrera, A. Willink, Biogeografıa de America Latina,

Secretarıa General de la Organizacion de los Estados Americanos,

Serie de Biologıa, Monografıa 13, Washington D.C., 1980.

[6] A. D’Ambrogio de Argueso, Manual de tecnicas en histologıa

vegetal, Editorial Hemisferio Sur S.A., 1986.

[7] P.K. Holmgren, N.H. Holmgren, L.C. Barnett, Index Herbar-

iorum, Part I, The Herbaria of the World, eighth ed., Regnum

Vegetabile, vol. 120, Botanical Garden, New York, 1990, pp.

1e693.

[8] S.M.L. Lopez Campeny, El hogar, los ancestros: Reocupacion y

variabilidad en el uso del espacio en unidades domesticas

arqueologicas (Sitio Punta de la Pena 9, Antofagasta de la Sierra,

Catamarca), Actas del XIV Congreso Nacional de Arqueologıa

Argentina, 2001, in press.

[9] S.M.L. Lopez Campeny, Actividades domesticas y organizacion

del espacio intrasitio. El sitio Punta de la Pena 9. Antofagasta de

la Sierra (Provincia de Catamarca), MS thesis, Universidad

Nacional de Tucuman, 2001.

[10] S.M.L. Lopez Campeny, Tecnologıa, Iconografıa y Ritual

Funerario. Tres dimensiones de analisis de los textiles formativos

del sitio Punta de la Pena 9 (Antofagasta de la Sierra, Argentina),

Estudios Atacamenos 20 (2002) 29e63.

[11] V. Markgraf, Paleoenvironmental history of the last 10000 years

in Northwestern Argentina, Zentralhlatt fur Geologie und

Palantologie. Teil I (1985).

[12] V. Markgraf, Paleoclimates of the Southern Argentine Andes,

Current Research in the Pleistocene 4 (1987) 150e157.

[13] M.F. Rodrıguez, Sistemas de asentamiento y movilidad durante el

Arcaico. Analisis de macrovestigios vegetales en sitios arqueolo-

gicos de la Puna Meridional Argentina, Estudios Atacamenos 14

(1997) 43e60.

[14] M.F. Rodrıguez, Arqueobotanica de Quebrada Seca 3: Recursos

vegetales utilizados por cazadores-recolectores durante el Arcaico


en la Puna Meridional Argentina, PhD thesis, Universidad de

Buenos Aires, 1998.

[15] M.F. Rodrıguez, Woody plant species used during the Archaic

period in the Southern Argentine Puna. Archaeobotany of Que-

brada Seca 3, Journal ofArchaeological Science 27 (2000) 341e361.

[16] M.F. Rodrıguez, Cambios en el uso de los recursos vegetales

durante el Holoceno en la Puna meridional argentina, Actas del

XV Congreso Nacional de Arqueologıa Chilena. Chungara.

Revista de Arqueologıa Chilena Volumen especial (2003)

403e413.

[17] C. Troll, Las culturas superiores andinas y el medio geo-

grafico, Revista del Instituto de Geografıa, vol. 5, Univer-

sidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru, 1958, pp.

3e55.

Documents

Woody Plants