9321263 Meltzer Under the direction of Dr. David Meltzer, Ms. Elizabeth Pintar will collect data for her doctoral dissertation. Building on previous archaeological research she has conducted in the high "puna" region of northwestern Argentina, she will conduct test excavations at four rockshelter sites. Preliminary evidence indicates that all contain archaeological materials and likely span the Archaic period which dates from ca 10,000 to 3,000 years ago. Ms. Pintar will conduct small test excavations to determine the potential of each and on this basis select one for more intensive work. Fourteen weeks will be devoted to this latter stage of the project and should result in the collection of large samples of lithic artifacts as well as floral and faunal remains. On this basis human utilization of and adaptation to this harsh environment can be determined. Pollen obtained from the deposits should permit reconstruction of the climate as it changed over time. Camelid remains will be analyzed to assess whether domestication occurred during this period. The dry highland regions of the Andes pose a challenge for human subsistence. It is known that since the end of the last Ice Age, climates within the region have fluctuated greatly and that at times aridity was greater than today. Ms. Pintar wishes to understand how human societies at a simple technological level and dependent primarily on hunted and gathered foods were able to subsist. She wishes to reconstruct diet and trace possible patterns of seasonal movement. The rich data base which includes well preserved plant and animal remains should permit her to do this. She postulates that camelid species such as llama/guanaco, alpaca and vicuna may have been domesticated in this context and served to provide a more reliable food source. This research is important for several reasons. It will provide data of interest to many archaeologists. It will shed new light on human potential to adapt to difficult environme nts and will assist in the training of a promising young scientist. ***
