Hunting, Herding, and Cultural Change along an Elevation Gradient in the Andes of Western Argentina

Hunter-gatherers occupied the lowland plains, the piedmont escarpment, and the upland river valleys of the western Argentine Andes during the late Holocene. As the regional human population increased over time, the upland river valleys provided a sustainable animal resource base – migratory guanaco (Lama guanicoe) populations browsing upon highly productive highland forage. Summer campsites are dominated by guanaco remains, and behavioral ecology of this species indicates that this ungulate prefers upland range in the region. Thus, guanaco migrated to lower elevations when winter snows became too deep to forage successfully. Contemporary herders take advantage of the same elevation gradient. Ethnoarchaeological research on middens from their winter and summer camps highlight remarkable patterns of animal resource use, similar to those of late Holocene hunter-gatherers. The seasonal distribution of net primary production in upland river valleys provides an environmental template that has resulted in sustainable animal resource use for thousands of years. Today, multiple social and environmental changes may undermine the lifeways of contemporary herders.