hrdlKkaJ stone industries OF THE ARGENTINE COAST 147 



Bolas-stones of globular and ovoid forms are widel}' distributed 

 over the area studied, but they are not made of local materials, and 

 if Hatcher is right the bolas represents a very recent period, having 

 superseded the bow and arrow as a weapon, after the acquisition of 

 horses by the natives. 



On the whole, in the writer's view the differences in general aspect 

 between the northern and southern groups of chipped-stone artifacts 

 are so pronounced as to favor the assumption that the two regions 

 were occupied by peoples having somewhat distinct cultures — cul- 

 tures, however, not differing ver}^ decidedly in grade, and presenting, 

 as indicated above, numerous features in common. 



That the aboriginal cultures of Argentina represented by the avail- 

 able collections are not separated by wide differences of culture grade 

 and time is strongly suggested by the presence throughout Argentina 

 of at least two flaked implements of highh^ specialized type, the plano- 

 convex knife blade and the duck-bill scraper. In plate 14 are shown 

 photographic reproductions of three bevel-edge knives (a, b, c), 

 belonging to the coast-pebble group and made of black-pebble teslioas ; 

 three of the same type of white quartzite from the white quartzite 

 group (d, e, f) ; and three from Patagcmia (Hatcher collection) 

 (g, Ji, i). The duck-bill scraper is of almost universal occurrence. 

 The slight differences in general shape and specialization of the edge 

 are only such as would readily arise in the utilization of different 

 kinds and forms of material by the same people and for a common 

 purpose. 



The presence over the entire area north and south, of domestic 

 utensils of ordinary types and weapons of well-specialized forms may 

 be variously interpreted. It may be thought to indicate a well- 

 advanced people of general distribution quite distinct from the tribes 

 responsible for the three groups of chipped-stone implements, or it 

 may be regarded with more reason as indicating that the same or 

 kindred peoples responsible for all the cultural phenomena extended 

 over the whole area, the peculiar varieties of chipped-stone work 

 being merely local developments due to peculiarities of local materials 

 and activities. 



The WTiter is well aware that other finds may have been made or 

 may yet be made which will either entirely obliterate or, on the other 

 hand, decidedly emphasize the differences here noted. So diversified 

 are the elements to be considered in this study and so limited rela- 

 tively to the extent of territory the materials at hand, that the 

 archeologist can not assume to reach definite and final results with 

 respect to the peoples concerned, but it seems safe to conclude that 

 although different tribes or racial groups may be represented, there 

 is no satisfactory evidence that the cultures were widelj' separated 

 from one another in grade or essentially distinct from the culture of 

 the tribes occupying the region in historic times. 



