The skeletal material from Lagoa Santa is the most discussed aspect of the region’s early archaeological record, but it is not the only evidence for the lives of the ancient people who lived there.

Understanding the archaeological context of the skeletal material — the material culture, the environmental data, the evidence of daily life — is essential for placing the genetic findings in their proper human context.

The stone tool assemblages from Lagoa Santa and related sites in the region show a distinctive technological tradition that archaeologists have characterized in various ways over the years.

The tools include scrapers, burins, points, and other implements made from locally available stone, worked using techniques that reflect substantial skill and accumulated knowledge of the material’s properties.

The specific types of tools and the specific techniques used to make them vary across the region and across time, reflecting the kind of gradual technological change that characterizes the archaeological record of a long-occupied region.