Spatial Structure And Temporal Dynamics Of The Human Occupation Of Neuquen (Argentinian Patagonia) During The Late Pleistocene - Holocene

A database was generated consisting of 184 georeferenced dates from archaeological sites in Neuquen Province. Twelve of these dates -taken from human and faunal bone remains- are original, and some correspond to geographical areas for which data were not previously available. Quantitative spatial-temporal analyzes were carried out. The results obtained on the basis of chronological and geographical data allow Neuquen's human occupation process to be characterized as early, mostly continuous over time, and spatially discontinuous. The temporal depth of the settlement reaches ca. 12,000 years BP calibrated, with spacial occupation increasing significantly towards the late Holocene. The spatial distribution of the sites is discontinuous and shows concentrations in particular areas near the permanent water courses, mostly near the Andes, while in the intermediate spaces -the wide plains of the east- a marked archaeological signal was not recorded.