Time and space: the "Talapazo"site (Yocavil Valley, Tucumán province)

The objective of this paper is to characterize the localization of the archaeological site Talapazo (Yocavil Valley) on its geomorphological space and relative chronology, and to compare it with other close sites. We made the morphogenetic photointerpretation (scale 1:50.000), identifying possible archaeological sites, superficial potsherds were recollected together with archaeological digs and macroscopic ceramic analysis. It was possible to conclude that Formative settlements (500 BC-1000 AC) were dispersed on slopes, secondary fluvial valleys, fluvio-alluvial fans and terraces of Santa Maria River, while Regional Developments (1000-1500 AC) and Inca settlements are disposed on the apical area of fluvio-alluvial fans, overlying formative structures. Neighbor archaeological sites, and from the central third of the Sierra de Quilmes, present similar distribution. This could be related with changes on humidity conditions during those archaeological periods.