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Introduction
In 1999 this archaeological site located in Argentina (Province of Santa Cruz, Patagonia area) was included in the World Heritage List as a cultural property. This nomination was an international recognition of Cueva de las Manos as representing one of the most important rock art sequences of South America belonging to the ancient hunter-gatherer groups who first inhabited Patagonia.
Patagonia, including Tierra del Fuego, is a huge territory of more than 900.000 square kilometres situated between 39° and 55° latitude south in South America. The topography is dominated by the rugged Andean mountain chain (in the west and south), and by dissected plateaux giving way to low plains (in the east). Fig. 1.
The human colonisation of the uttermost south end of the Americas has always held particular fascination for prehistorians. Viewed from a global perspective, this was the last major continental land mass to be occupied by human beings. The archaeological evidence shows that about 11.000-10.000 BP there is unequivocal evidence to support the presence of humans in Patagonia (Borrero & McEwan 1997). This southern land has always been dominated by hunting-gathering economies.
Natural setting and the ancient Patagonian hunters
The site of Cueva de las Manos is found in the upper part of the Deseado basin at the base of a stepped cliff overlooking the Río Pinturas canyon. This canyon provides a natural means of protection from the harsh climatic conditions of the region. Fig 2.
The Río Pinturas gorge is an exceptional example of a prehistoric human habitat. Archaeological sites found on both sides of the river are the evidence of pre European settlements belonging to hunters who used the different resources available along the valley and its environments since, at least, 9.300 years BP. The main resource of these groups was the guanaco (Lama guanicoe). There is a direct relationship between birth, reproduction and death of guanacos and the possibility of development of the human existence. Stone technology reveals that these groups were long distance hunters. They practiced communal hunting of guanaco on the open steppe by encirclement and the use of bolas. Guanacos display marked territorial behaviour and use the same general area all year long. Thus human groups focusing on guanaco could easily predict their settlements where family...