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New Possible Paleoamerican Fish-tail Point Finds
at Laguna Negra, Northern Peru
Elmo Len Canales, Javier Alcalde Gonzles, Carlos ToledoGutirrez,
Juan Yataco Capcha, and Leslye Valenzuela Leyva
South American fish-tail points found in undisturbed contexts
are recognizedas a hallmark of the terminal Pleistocene/early
Holocene (Lavalle 2000:8081). Although they are found mostly in
some specific regions of the southerncontinent, from Honduras to
Argentina, they are scarce in Peru (Dillehay2000:127). In spite of
the ongoing analysis and lack of the complete report ofthe
excavations of the Laguna Negra site, and because of their
possible
chronological significance and their geographical location, we
report herepreliminarily the first fish-tail points found in one of
the highest zones abovesea level in easternmost Peru.
Excavations carried out in this zone by the second senior author
betweenOctober and November 2003 have unearthed at least two pieces
related to thePaleoindian fish-tail point technology (Figure 1A,
1B) within a level (called2B) composed of 225 lithic artifacts, as
a whole, at the Laguna Negrarockshelter, Alto Chicama, Northern
Highland of Peru.
The rockshelter is about 3.8 m long and 1.6 m wide, and located
specifically
at 80 71 27W, 9 12 14 S, upstream of the Shuyuhual River
(confluence ofthe Maraon Basin) at about 3,775 m above sea level.
At least two anthropo-genic levels are recorded, namely 1A and 2B.
Radiocarbon samples wereimpossible to find because of the
occurrence of some taphonomic problemsoriginating from natural
factors. Taking into account similar Paleoindianartifacts in South
America, we assume the high probability that these artifactsdate to
the early Holocene (at least between ca. 11,0008000 RCYBP).
The fish-tail point is 5.5 cm long, 3.8 cm wide and 0.6 cm thick
(Figure 1A).Its outline is atypical, compared with similar finds in
southern South America
(Lavalle 2000:81, Figure 11). Its shape is different from
similar finds found inPeru (Briceo 1999; Chauchat and Briceo 1998;
Chauchat and Zevallos-Quiones 1979; Ossa 1976), but similar to a
specimen reported from ButlerIsland, Panama (Bird and Cooke 1977:
Figures 4c, 8). Despite lacking thecharacteristic shape known from
fish-tail points from Fell (Bird 1938), El Inga
Elmo Len Canales, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of
Natural History, Department of
Anthropology, Paleo-Indian/Paleo-Ecology Program, 10thSt. and
Constitution Ave. NW, Washing-
ton, DC 20560-0112; e-mail: [email protected]
Lic. Javier Alcalde Gonzles, Profesor Asociado, Escuela Acadmico
Profesional de Arqueologa,Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos,
Av. Universitaria s/n, Lima. Peru.
Lic. Carlos Toledo Gutirrez, Facultad de Ingeniera Geolgica,
Universidad Nacional Mayor de
San Marcos, Av. Universitaria s/n, Lima. Peru.
Juan Yataco Capcha, Escuela Acadmico Profesional de Arqueologa,
Universidad Nacional
Federico Villarreal, Av. Nicolas de Pierola 351, Lima. Peru.
Leslye Valenzuela Leyva, Escuela Acadmico Profesional de
Arqueologa, Universidad Nacional
Mayor de San Marcos, Av. Universitaria s/n, Lima. Peru.
CRP 21, 2004 CANALESETAL. 11
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(Bell 1960, 1965; Mayer-Oakes 1986) and other sites (Politis
1991), it fits intothe typological definition of fish-tail points
(Bird 1969:5657). It is made ofhighly crystallized red jasper, a
high-quality raw material. The flat retouch
1A
1B
cm
0 5
indicates the possible use of soft-hammer (probably deer antler)
percussion,followed by pressure retouch along some edges. At its
proximal end, there is a
vertical scar, known also as fluting (Figure 1A, right). Within
the assemblagethere is another piece that could be recognized as an
outline, (i.e., a roughout
or preform) of a fish-tail point (Figure 1B). This fish-tail
point preform ismade of a flake removed from a core by hard-hammer
percussion. In fact, itsdorsal face exhibits several retouch scars
and already a notch at the distal endof the flake, which indicates
the beginning of the process of shaping the stemof the point. Such
segments of the fish-tail point chane opratoire are poorlyreported,
and are important in order to shed light on one of the first
lithictechnologies of the South American Paleoindian period.
Laguna Negra rockshelter is the nearest southern site from the
El Inga site,contributing therefore to the mapping of the fish-tail
points distribution
(Morrow and Morrow 1999). In addition, the occurrence of
possible fish-tailpoints at this high altitude is important for the
understanding of the capacityof early humans adapted to this part
of the Andean region.
References Cited
Bell, R. E. 1960 Evidence of a Fluted Point Tradition in
Ecuador. American Antiquity26:1026.
Figure 1. Lithic artifacts fromLaguna Negra rockshelter:
1A,fish-tail point;1B, preform
of fish-tail point.
12 CANALESETAL. ArchaeologyLatin America
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1965 Investigaciones Arqueolgicas en el Sitio de El Inga. Casa
de la Cultura, Quito.
Bird, J. B. 1938 Antiquity and Migrations of the Early
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Briceo, J. 1999 Quebrada Santa Maria: Las Puntas en Cola de
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Morrow, J. E., and T. A. Morrow 1999 Geographic Variation in
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Ossa, P. P. 1976 A Fluted Fish-tail Projectile Point from La
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awpa Pacha13:978.
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Cone of South America: AnOverview. In Clovis: Origins and
Adaptations, edited by R. Bonnichsen and K. Turnmire, pp.
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