Different varieties of Zea mays L. (Poaceae) recovered from Punta de la Peña 4 and Punta de la Peña 9 archaeological sites were studied. These sites are situated in the vicinity of Antofagasta de la Sierra, Catamarca, Argentina. C¹⁴ dates obtained span 1970 ± 50 and 530 ± 50 BP, which correspond to the Late Holocene. The hypothesis proposes the intensive use of plant species in the studied archaeological sites as a preparation for the next stage, Late Holocene, when horticulture and herding were incorporated into hunter-gatherer practices in the Puna ecozone. Based on this data, the progress of the plant domestication process in the Southern Argentinean Puna is re-evaluated.