The Archaeology of Cosmic Impact: Lessons from Two Mid-Holocene Argentine Case Studies

Abstract

Cosmic impact is a category of natural catastrophe neglected or misunderstood by most archaeologists in reconstructions of past human population dynamics. We discuss the nature of impact by asteroids and comets and what is known and theorized about the Quaternary Period impact record. As case studies for our exploration of how archaeological method and theory can be productively applied to the study of cosmic impact, we focus on two confirmed Holocene asteroid impacts in central and northeastern Argentina, Rio Cuarto and Campo del Cielo, both likely dating between 6 and 3 cal ky BP. We model and assess the potential destructive effects of these impacts on contemporary hunting and gathering populations using several lines of evidence. The search for Quaternary Period cosmic impacts, along with the documentation of the effects of confirmed cosmic impacts on human populations, particularly of those organized in small-scale social groups, represents a challenge and key opportunity for future archaeological research. Keywords Extraterrestrial object collisions. Quaternary Period. Archaeological evidence and judgment criteria. Campo del Cielo and Río Cuarto impact events

Radiocarbon trends in the Pampean region (Argentina). Biases and demographic patterns during the final Late Pleistocene and Holocene

“…Considering the Southeast of the Pampean region two models, with different implications for Middle Holocene population dynamics, have been proposed: a) one that considers the peopling and local cultural evolution as a continuous processes (Politis, 1984(Politis, , 1988(Politis, , 2008Martínez, 1999Martínez, , 2002Politis and Madrid, 2001), and b) the other conceives regional peopling as discontinuous, characterized by local extinctions, recolonization and population replacements (Barrientos, 2001;P erez, 2002, 2005;P erez, 2006;Barrientos and Masse, 2014). Both radiocarbon analysis and cranial morphometry were used to support this latter model.…”

“…3). In this regard, in West and Ventania micro-regions the intensity of the archaeological 1 Barrientos and Masse (2014) have recently proposed a connection between 00 the depressed archaeological signal 00 for the interval between 5000 and 4400 cal BP in central Argentina with a cosmic impact. signal shows no major differences when compared to previous moments, which could be linked to scientific biases.…”

“…In this sense, this tool has been used to identify macro-regional trends during the first millennia of the continent settlement (e.g., Bueno et al, 2013;L opez Mazz, 2013;M endez, 2013;Prates et al, 2013) and for the recognition of regional patterns in more geographically bounded areas (Ber on et al, 2007;Barberena, 2008;Barrientos, 2009;García, 2010;Gil, 2009, 2010;Marquet et al, 2012;Martínez et al, 2013a; see also this volume). In the particular case of the Pampean region, the probabilistic distribution of radiocarbon dates has also been used to discuss the continuity and/ or discontinuity of population which implied the expansion, contraction, replacement or even extinction processes in specific periods, such as the Middle Holocene and the beginning of the Late Holocene (Barrientos, 2001(Barrientos, , 2009Perez, 2004, 2005; Barrientos and Masse, 2014). Archaeological gaps during the Late Holocene that are related with regional mobility along different areas have also been proposed (Ber on et al, 2007, see also this volume).…”

Las Ocupaciones Humanas en La Localidad Arqueológica Laguna De Los Pampas (Campo De Dunas Del Centro Pampeano, Argentina) Durante El Holoceno

“…La distribución de frecuencias de fechados radiocarbónicos para la región pampeana muestra una continuidad en la señal arqueológica desde el Pleistoceno final (Martínez et al 2015), aunque con fluctuaciones temporales importantes en su intensidad (Figura 7a), que han sido interpretadas como cambios en las dinámicas poblacionales, sesgos científicos, tafonómicos y estratigráficos (e.g., Barrientos y Masse 2014; Favier Dubois et al 2017; Martínez et al 2015). Al integrar la información de Laguna de los Pampas con las dataciones publicadas para el CDCP se puede observar que existen ocupaciones a lo largo del Holoceno, aunque con algunos vacíos para los tres bloques temporales.…”

Las narraciones orales como una forma de enseñanza en sociedades cazadoras-recolectoras

“…Por ejemplo, algunas narraciones sugerían que había especies asustadizas y otras más agresivas, y que había especies cuyo olfato o audición eran muy sensibles. Otras narraciones transmitían información topográfica y los efectos de terremotos, incendios, meteoritos y otros fenómenos atmosféricos (Barrientos & Masse, 2014;Ludwin y colaboradores, 2005;Margery Peña, 1998;Masse & Masse 2007). Los atabascanos ahtna de Alaska tenían historias sobre los recorridos habituales y los nombres de los sitios de campamento (Kari, 2010).…”