Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino

Cultures > Semi-arid North > Paleoindian hunters of the Arid North

Economy

These early hunters took advantage of the large megafauna that congregated around the newly formed lagoons and ravines, encircling them then bringing them down by stoning them. One kill provided ample food for these small groups. They also manufactured stone projectile points for their spears, as well as knives and scrapers for slaughtering, and used the bones and skin of their prey to make a variety of implements and clothing. To complement their diet, they probably gathered fruit from the surrounding forests and water plants from nearby lakes.