History of pre-Hispanic populations in the southern sector of the Sierras Pampeanas: morphological variability and archaeological models

This study focused on the craniofacial variation of human groups that inhabited the southern sector of the Sierras Pampeanas and surrounding plains in pre-Hispanic times, from a perspective that combines qualitative and quantitative morphological analyses with analyses based on geometric morphometry.

The specific objectives were: a) to morphologically characterize unpublished archaeological collections of skeletal remains, b) to study the craniofacial variation of the aforementioned collections using geometric morphometric analysis, c) to establish genetic relationships between populations in the central region of the country and other geographical-ecological regions of Argentina and South America (Andes, Amazonia, Gran Chaco, Patagonia-Tierra del Fuego), d) to test different models on the possible routes of settlement in the center of the country.

The results suggest significant similarities in terms of cranial morphology and epigenetic variation between samples mainly from the eastern side of the mountains—now part of the province of Córdoba—and populations from central and northeastern Patagonia and the Pampas region. Taking into account the overall results, we consider that the settlement of the southern region of the Sierras Pampeanas is related to that which occurred from the northeast of the country, following a general north-south route across the Atlantic coast.