Archaeology Expeditions in Los Toldos and Piedra Museo

Archaeology Expeditions in Los Toldos and Piedra Museo

140 Km. from Pico Truncado you can go on one of the most fascinating archaeology expeditions of these times, and get into caves where the traces of men from thousands of years ago are found.
In Estancia Los Toldos you can visit an important deposit where some research work related to the origin of man in this area was carried out.

Through the south of the canyon you access to cave Nº 3 through a 12 m. wide and 1.9 m. high entrance. In this cave which is 22 m. deep, 12 natural layers have been analysed to testify human presence in the area.
Numerous manifestations of rock paintings of importance such as hands imprints can be observed inside this cave.

You will visit eight prominent levels and observe the different "industries" which denote the occupation of the area.
In the first layer, which corresponds to Tehuelche occupation, you will find scarse cultural traces, while on the second layer there are scarse occupation traces. On the third layer there are more intense occupation records, and almost all the spaces available in the cave have been used.

    Lithic pieces found in these three layers present a different work from those found in other layers: arrow heads, scrapers and some short small rasps. Rests of animals like guanacos skunks, birds, rodents and deer have also been found.
    The fourth and fifth layers are called "sterile" because there are no rests.
    You will be deeply moved when you reach the sixth and seventh layers and find the remains of Casapedrense culture some 7.500 years ago. In those days man lived on hunting and used the skin, the meat and the bones of the animals hunted.
    In the eigth layer there are scarse rests, and the ninth and tenth correspond to the Toldense culture which inhabited the area 11.000 years ago.

They developed two-face and fine triangular arrow heads, as well as wide rasps of a highly developed technique.
Finally, in the eleventh and twelveth layers you will be surprised to know about the traces found from 12.500 years ago, consisting of utensiles and pieces of animals like guanacos, skunks and deer.

    Piedra Museo

    250 km. from Pico Truncado there is another deposit known as Piedra Museo.
    The oldest human settlement in the country was found here. Some 13.000 years ago there was abundant water and pastures in Piedra Museo. Many different animals pastured here and after them came hunters.
    Some years ago a fragment of an arrow head with rests of animals extinguished in the area was found an arose a deep interest in the archaeological community.
    This region is ideal to travel with the family and learn more about the roots of human beings.
    In the Regional History Museum of Pico Truncado you can observe a complete sequence of the lithic material found in Los Toldos and the profile of the first grid square in this deposit, and also admire the copies of rock paintings and petrogliphs corresponding to the deposit in Piedra Museo next to the photographs of the site.