Abstract

GARVEY, Raven. Probabilistic survey and prehistoric patterns of land and resource use in Mendoza Province, Argentina. Intersecciones antropol. [online]. 2015, vol.16, n.2, pp.301-312. ISSN 1850-373X.

This paper describes the theory, methods and findings associated with a recent regional-scale, probabilistic surface survey designed to examine prehistoric hunter-gatherers’ landscape and resource use as environmental conditions fluctuated throughout the Holocene in Mendoza, Argentina. Survey identified 67 previously undocumented sites in six environmental zones across the region. Correlations between key site attributes suggest that the mountains, foothills and plains were all used extensively, though perhaps at differing intensities and in different ways as a function of environmental and demographic factors. Probabilistic surface survey produces broadly comparable samples that can be combined with data from stratified sites for a better understanding of regional settlement and subsistence systems, and to address larger ecological and evolutionary questions.

Keywords : Regional archaeology; Surface record; Human ecology.

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