Sierra de las Quijadas — Potrero Central Aguada Causeway (Potrero de la Aguada Centre)
Potrero Central Causeway · Sierra Central Aguada · Quijadas Central Avenue
Hypothetical pre-Hispanic to Historic·Hypothetical Huarpe / Historic Hualtaran pastoral·🇦🇷 San Luis Province, Sierra de las Quijadas National Park, Potrero de la Aguada central floor, Argentina
About
About Sierra de las Quijadas — Potrero Central Aguada Causeway (Potrero de la Aguada Centre)
Hypothetical central causeway across the Potrero de la Aguada amphitheatre floor in Sierra de las Quijadas, where a claimed 800 m rectilinear avenue and adjoining enclosures on the reddish sandstone floor are variably attributed to pre-Hispanic Huarpe engineered valley floor or to natural joint-controlled sandstone pavement and historic stock walls. Distinct from the southern enclosure east and northern wall avenue contested sectors in wave-6, this central floor preserves a 800×12 m linear pavement trace, 250 m enclosure embankment and seasonal aguada (waterhole) rock-pile alignment at 800 m altitude.
No diagnostic ceramics or dates exist; 2015 test pits recovered 1950s wire. Geologists attribute lineaments to Lagarcito sandstone strike N45E and flash-flood channelling. Park yönetimi interprets historic Hualtaran corrals.
Why it mattersContested case illustrates Quijadas pseudo-amphitheatre geology vs culture; central floor tests LiDAR expectations for Huarpe valley planning.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether 800 m line is culture or joint + vehicle track
- 02Attribution of embankment to Huarpe vs 1950s stock?
Theories
- 01Natural tabular sandstone with historic reuse as corrals
- 02Central aguada alignment is cattle trail to waterhole
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- undated hypothetical; claimed pre-Hispanic Huarpe 1000–1500 CE
- Period
- Hypothetical pre-Hispanic to Historic
- Culture
- Hypothetical Huarpe / Historic Hualtaran pastoral
- Builders
- Unverified Huarpe vs historic pastoralists
- Purpose
- Hypothetical engineered causeway and water management vs stock enclosure
- Abandoned
- Historic 1950s corral repairs
- Rediscovered
- 1991 National Park plan; central causeway internet claims 2010s
- Excavation
- Unexcavated
c. 1000–1500 CE claimed
Hypothetical Huarpe avenue and enclosures (unverified)
1950s
Hualtaran stock wall repairs with wire documented
2015
Park test pits: no diagnostics, wire and modern sherds
On the ground
Structures & features
32.5450° S · 67.0620° W · 800 m · 3 mapped features
Central Causeway Pavement Trace (800×12 m)
causeway800 m linear slab trace across central Potrero floor
32.5455° S · 67.0625° W250 m Enclosure Embankment
enclosure250 m low stone embankment at central floor north
32.5450° S · 67.0620° WAguada Rock-Pile Alignment (40 m)
alignmentSeasonal waterhole stone alignment 40 m
32.5445° S · 67.0622° W