Engineering the perfect hunt
On the windswept basaltic plateaus of Santa Cruz province, hundreds of low, semi-circular stone walls dot the landscape. These structures, known locally as parapetos, are the primary archaeological evidence of a sophisticated, communal hunting system developed by the ancestors of the Tehuelche people. For at least 4,500 years, and likely longer, these hunter-gatherers engineered the terrain to funnel and ambush their primary prey: the guanaco (Lama guanicoe), a wild camelid native to South America. The guanaco provided meat for sustenance, bones for tools, and thick hides for clothing and shelters, called toldos.
The hunt was a collaborative effort. Groups of hunters used the parapetos as blinds, waiting as other members of the community drove herds of guanaco into carefully chosen positions. These drive lanes, often using natural topography, directed the fast-moving animals towards the hidden hunters. As the guanacos came within range, the hunters would rise and deploy their primary weapon: the boleadoras, or bolas. This hunting tool consists of two or three stone weights, meticulously shaped and connected by leather cords. When thrown, the bolas would wrap around the legs of a guanaco, entangling and tripping the animal without piercing its valuable hide. Archaeological sites associated with these blinds contain the bolas themselves, but also thousands of lithic flakes from the production and maintenance of stone tools used for butchering.