Relation between images and minerals.

The case of El Salto-1 engravings (Dpto. Tinogasta, Catamarca)

Abstract

We report the first survey conducted at the site El Salto-1, composed of a set of 10 (ten) engraved blocks scattered on the fluvial terrace of the El Salto river and ravine, in the eastern foothills of the Fiambalá mountain range, Tinogasta, Catamarca. We analyzed the thematic repertoire displayed in each block, recording the types of motifs, the technique of execution and evaluating the existence of overlaps and differences in the patina tonalities. We have also considered the importance of taking into account the conditions of placement, at the level of the site and of each block, to define the contexts in which these images participated. In this regard, archaeometallurgical work and ongoing research have shown the importance of tin, copper, and other minerals in the Sierras de Fiambalá and Zapata, their relationship with pre-Hispanic metallurgy, both during the Inca conquest and before, and also the different strategies implemented to control them over time. In this context, our working hypothesis is that the engravings of the site El Salto-1 are related to different stages of the metallurgical operational chain, especially to the processing of tin deposits, without excluding aspects of defense, control, and/or regulation of access to the large mineralized areas.