Mapa de unidades geomorfológicas del Parque Nacional Bosques Petrificados de Jaramillo (Santa Cruz, Argentina) para su aplicación geoarqueológica

Abstract

Las investigaciones arqueológicas en el Macizo del Deseado (provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina) han permitido registrar un gran volumen de evidencias de las sociedades cazadoras-recolectoras móviles que ocuparon el área desde tiempos prehispánicos. Para avanzar en estos estudios es necesario analizar la superficie del terreno y discriminar las diversas unidades geomorfológicas en donde se emplazan los restos arqueológicos. En este trabajo se utilizan técnicas geomáticas para generar una cartografía de detalle a partir de la hoja geológica existente para la región (escalas 1:250 000 y 1:100 000), imágenes satelitales de alta resolución e información planialtimétrica relevante. Como resultado se definieron nueve unidades geomorfológicas en las cuales se analizó la distribución de recursos que pudieron estar disponibles para las poblaciones en el pasado y se identificaron procesos naturales que afectan el registro arqueológico.

Archaeological investigations in Macizo del Deseado (province of Santa Cruz, Argentina) have allowed registering a large volume of evidence on nomad huntergatherers who lived in the area since pre-Columbian times. Specifically in the Bosques Petrificados de Jaramillo National Park (PNBPJ), an area where systematic surface records have been recorded, the current state of these studies require detailed geomorphological mapping to fulfill the needs of archaeological research. In this study, we analyzed the surface of the local terrain, seeking to identify the different geomorphological units where archaeological remains are located. A GIS (Geographic Information System) approach was applied, using geomatics techniques to relate different types of data, including remote sensing images and relevant altimetric information to elaborate the required maps. The baseline data used include the current geological chart for the region (4769-IV chart at 1:250000 scale); the geomorphological sketch of the Laguna Grande sector (1:100000 scale); the hydrographic network obtained from the Digital Elevation Model of the Republic of Argentina (MDE-Ar, 1 arc-second spatial resolution), and high-resolution satellite images available for the area (50 cm resolution Bing images). Geomorphological maps were elaborated through an analysis of the terrain using a non-automated landform recognition method. For the final characterization and differentiation, we used fieldwork information (photographs and descriptions). As a result, nine geomorphological units were identified. In each, the distribution of resources that might have been available for ancient populations was analyzed, and the natural processes affecting the differential preservation and visibility of the archaeological record were identified.