**Figure 2.**

*Kami 7 archeological site excavation plant.*

To carry out the techno-morphological study, we treated the crystals surfaces with ammonium chloride powder in order to avoid translucency that impeded examination (**Figure 4**). The crystals generally have a faceted structure that even

#### **Figure 3.**

*Quartz crystal from the Kami 7 site, natural surface.*

#### **Figure 4.**

*Quartz crystals from with bleaching process for techno-morphological analysis.*

#### **Figure 5.**

*Totality of quartz crystals from the Kami 7 site. A. Crystals with natural surfaces. B. Crystals with bleaching process.*

some of them extend on the pyramidal end (**Figure 5**). Although they are not 100% complete, we could determine that they do not present technological modifications that can be attributed to manufacture (débitage, knapping, etc.), nor do they present extractions of flakes by bipolar technique, so they can be considered as manuports. Only one of them, the largest, has a possible flake scar.

The microscopic-based functional analysis developed on the natural edges present in the prisms (*n* = 4) did not reveal traces of use. It is worth mentioning that three of the edges belong to the same piece. However, the analysis allowed us to recognize postdepositional alterations such as patinas and surfaces with abrasion and stretch marks (**Table 3**).

**181**

95.4%) (i.e., in [26]).

*Sociocultural Interaction and Symbolism in Prehistoric South America: Quartz Crystal…*

Lainez 1 site is located in the middle course of the homonymous valley. The area has a pasture vegetation near the banks of the river, frequently interrupted by extensive bogs. The open forest develops toward the slopes of the mountains (**Figure 6**). Near the site there are river meanders with pebbles of different sizes (i.e., in [22, 25]). On the site, an excavation and four surveys were carried out. Radiocarbon analysis indicates a date of 767–971 cal AD (OxCal V 4.3.2, SHtCal 13,

*Elements of quartz crystal and bipolar obsidian fragment from the Lainez 1 site.*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90851*

*Techno-morphological characteristics of quartz crystals from the Kami 7 site.*

**Table 3.**

**Figure 6.**

**Figure 7.**

*Excavation of the Lainez site.*

*Sociocultural Interaction and Symbolism in Prehistoric South America: Quartz Crystal… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90851*


#### **Table 3.**

*Pleistocene Archaeology - Migration, Technology, and Adaptation*

*Quartz crystal from the Kami 7 site, natural surface.*

*Quartz crystals from with bleaching process for techno-morphological analysis.*

some of them extend on the pyramidal end (**Figure 5**). Although they are not 100% complete, we could determine that they do not present technological modifications that can be attributed to manufacture (débitage, knapping, etc.), nor do they present extractions of flakes by bipolar technique, so they can be considered as

*Totality of quartz crystals from the Kami 7 site. A. Crystals with natural surfaces. B. Crystals with bleaching* 

The microscopic-based functional analysis developed on the natural edges present in the prisms (*n* = 4) did not reveal traces of use. It is worth mentioning that three of the edges belong to the same piece. However, the analysis allowed us to recognize postdepositional alterations such as patinas and surfaces with abrasion

manuports. Only one of them, the largest, has a possible flake scar.

**180**

**Figure 3.**

**Figure 4.**

**Figure 5.**

*process.*

and stretch marks (**Table 3**).

*Techno-morphological characteristics of quartz crystals from the Kami 7 site.*

#### **Figure 6.** *Excavation of the Lainez site.*

**Figure 7.**

*Elements of quartz crystal and bipolar obsidian fragment from the Lainez 1 site.*

Lainez 1 site is located in the middle course of the homonymous valley. The area has a pasture vegetation near the banks of the river, frequently interrupted by extensive bogs. The open forest develops toward the slopes of the mountains (**Figure 6**). Near the site there are river meanders with pebbles of different sizes (i.e., in [22, 25]). On the site, an excavation and four surveys were carried out. Radiocarbon analysis indicates a date of 767–971 cal AD (OxCal V 4.3.2, SHtCal 13, 95.4%) (i.e., in [26]).

Among the lithic materials recovered in the excavations, two subsamples stand out. One is composed of two obsidian artifacts and the other by eight microflakes and a fragment of a quartz crystal instrument. The latter were discovered in the same survey of 1 m2 . The technofunctional studies showed no use in the instrument fragment, which due to its morphology could have been considered as microscraper, since its maximum length does not exceed 2 cm (**Figure 7**).
