Human occupation layers dating to 12,600 years ago contain tools made from obsidian sourced 400 kilometers away. The trade networks of Patagonia's first humans were surprisingly extensive.
A 13,000-year record in stone
In the Cañadón de las Cuevas, a dry ravine south of the Deseado River, a series of caves and rock shelters preserve a remarkable record of human history. The most studied of these, Cave 3, contains a two-meter-deep sequence of twelve distinct archaeological layers. The lowest levels of this stratified deposit contain some of the earliest evidence for humans in Patagonia. Radiocarbon dating of materials from this oldest layer, known as Level 11, places human presence at the site as far back as 12,600 to 13,000 years ago.
The people who occupied the cave were mobile hunter-gatherers. Their toolkit, which archaeologists named the "Toldense industry," includes unifacial projectile points, scrapers, and large stone flakes used for butchering animals. Faunal remains show they hunted guanacos (Lama guanicoe) and now-extinct species like the South American horse (Hippidion saldiasi). A significant portion of the stone tools are made from obsidian, a volcanic glass ideal for creating sharp edges. Geochemical analysis reveals this obsidian was sourced from Pampa del Asador, approximately 400 kilometers north of the site, indicating long-distance material transport or exchange networks very early in the settlement of the continent.
From tools to art
Higher up in the cave's stratigraphy, the toolkits change. Around 7,500 years ago, the Toldense tools are replaced by the "Casapedrense industry," which is characterized by a greater number of tools designed for hunting guanacos. These middle layers are followed by a sterile layer of volcanic ash, after which the cave was reoccupied. The uppermost layers contain artifacts associated with the ancestors of the modern Tehuelche people.
The caves at Los Toldos contain tools and bones; they are also galleries of ancient art. The rock walls of several caves feature paintings, the oldest of which are associated with the earliest occupants. The most common motifs are negative hand stencils, created by placing a hand on the rock and blowing pigment around it, likely through a hollow bone tube. These handprints appear alongside depictions of guanaco hunting scenes, geometric patterns like spirals, and figures of felines, possibly the extinct jaguar species Panthera onca mesembrina. The primary pigment used was red ochre, made from iron oxides, which creates a visual against the pale rock. This artistic tradition connects Los Toldos to a wider cultural network, including the famous Cueva de las Manos, located about 100 kilometers to the west.
💡Fun Facts
Some of the earliest art in the Americas is found here, with red hand stencils dating back to the initial occupation around 11,500 radiocarbon years ago.
The Toldense cultural level is named after this specific archaeological site.
Animal remains found in the oldest layers include extinct megafauna like the South American horse (*Hippidion saldiasi*) and camelids.
The site is not a single cave but a locality of at least 16 caves and rock shelters in the Las Cuevas canyon.
The site is in a remote area, often considered part of the broader Perito Moreno National Park region. Access is not formalized with regular hours and typically requires a guided tour or expedition.
Admission
Free, but access is difficult.
Accessibility
Reaching the site requires travel on unpaved gravel roads, often with a 4x4 vehicle. The terrain involves hiking in a rocky canyon.
Los Toldos Archaeological SiteSanta Cruz Province, Argentina