Tres Arroyos 1 Cave, Tierra del Fuego, Chile: Early Human Occupations during the Pleistocene–Holocene Transition

Tierra del Fuego represents the final corner of the Americas to be settled by human groups during a period of marked climatic and landscape changes during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. The initial human occupation of the Tres Arroyos 1 archaeological site and the subsequent formation of the Strait of Magellan represent significant milestones in this context. The archaeological materials in question date from 12,912 to 11,172 cal yr BP. The present study offers a comprehensive reinterpretation of the archaeological records, extinct faunas, and paleoenvironmental data, among other analyses. This reinterpretation extends the discussion from the initial human presence to the potential role of the site as a paleontological refuge for felids and canids dating back to approximately 15 ka.