Identification of astronomical objects in ancient engravings: Malargüe, Mendoza, Argentina. Methodological contributions in archaeoastronomy

In 2007 a group was formed to study 'Archaeoastronomy of Malargüe'. Its main objective is to contribute to the understanding of rock art records from the study of their variability, in order to understand their functionality in the context of regional archaeological problems. The research is addressed using an interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological model, focusing on the characteristics of the site and location of the engravings, their relationship with the landscape, and the identification of possible representations of astronomical objects. In this paper, we discuss some of the theoretical and methodological tools we have used for the fieldwork and analysis, using as our case study work at the rock art sites of Agua Botada, Valle Hermoso, and Los Toscales del Payén in the south of Mendoza, Argentina