Campo Laborde: A Late Pleistocene giant ground sloth kill and butchering site in the Pampas

The extinction of Pleistocene megafaunaand the role played by humans have been subjects of constant debate in American archeology. Previous evidence from the Pampas region of Argentina suggested that this environment might have provided a refugium for the Holocenesurvival of several megamammals. However, recent excavations and more advanced accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon datingat Campo Laborde site in the Argentinian Pampas challenge the Holocenesurvival of Pleistocenemegamammals and provide original and high-quality information documenting direct human impact on the Pleistocenefauna. The new data offer definitive evidence for hunting and butcheringof Megatheriumamericanum (giant ground sloth) at 12,600 cal years BP and dispute previous interpretations that Pleistocenemegamammals survived into the Holocenein the Pampas.