INTER-NODAL SPACES IN NORTHERN PATAGONIA: BIOGEOGRAPHY, INFORMATION, AND SOCIAL MECHANISMS OF INTERACTION

The analysis of internodal spaces in archaeological scale offers a frame useful for integrating questions produced from different theoretical stands, which are actually complementary. The goal of this paper is to assess the role of internodal spaces for inter-group interaction in northern Patagonia from a biogeographical perspective. First, we present the theoretical-methodological frame that guides this proposal. There is important geographical and ecological variation in those parts of a given landscape that can be considered as internodes during the past, which should be characterized as a first step to assess their socio-demographic dynamics. We suggest that there are two key ecological variables that make up the basis of internodes: a) gradient of ecological variation in resources; b) spatial scale of the internodes. Secondly, based on ethnographic information, we describe in a simple manner the possible social mechanisms of interaction that structure and regulate the access to and circulation across internodes. By using this frame, we intend to model the archaeological dynamics of the human use of internodal areas in northern Patagonia. In third place, we explore the role of two lines of research that may constitute proxies on social interaction and circulation of information/objects in space: rock art and obsidian geochemistry. Finally, we consider the preliminary contribution of this research, suggesting paths for future development of these ideas.