Field Schools and Scheduled Excavations in South America

July 1-August 11, 2012. Institute for Field Research. The Paracas culture of southern Peru is famous for its spectacular art and depictions of human trophy heads. In this project we will explore the nature of violence in Paracas culture to determine if it is a type of ritually confined elite competition or if it was war for political and economic ends.

June 17-July 21, 2012. Institute for Field Research. Once an important center for a powerful Caranqui kingdom, Cochasqui is among the most important archaeological sites in Ecuador today. The ‘Cochasqui Interdisciplinary Project’ aims to explore and integrate the rich archaeological, historical, and ethnographic records pertaining to this monumental and ceremonial site.

January-February, 2008. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Ranch in the Patagonian region of Argentina, with rockshelters and sites dated beginning in the late Pleistocene. Offers ten-day courses at several times throughout the year.

May 17-September 30, 2012 (three sessions). Offered by the Proyecto de Investigación Arqueológico Regional Ancash [PIARA] and the Universidad Nacional de Ancash [UNASAM]. Field school participants will excavate and conduct laboratory work at Hualcayan, a monumental archaeological complex located in the Callejón de Huaylas valley of highland Peru. The research will focus on the ancient ceremonial center of Perolcoto, the oldest sector at Hualcayan dated to the Formative, Huarás, and Early Intermediate (Recuay) Periods (900 BC - AD 600) as well as in tombs of later prehistoric periods (1 - 1450 AD) while living and working in a traditional Quechua community in the rural Andes. Students select an excavation-intensive or a laboratory-intensive concentration and are awarded six course credits (from UNASAM) for completing a six week field school session.

July 10-July 31, 2012. University of Paris. This part of the University of Paris Peru excavations will be held in Huamparan site, which was first excavated in 2004 and the research has been restarted few years back. This is an important site,the excavations are made in an open area, all the units positioned together (next to each other).

July 11-August 14, 2010. Cotsen Institute, UCLA. Students in this project will learn basic archaeological field methods excavating in the Sachsaywhaman (pronounced saxy-waman) Archaeological Park, the largest and most monumental building complex built by the Incas.

The Institute for Field Research conducts several South American projects each year.

June 4-July 8, 2012 (two sessions). University of Paris. Archaeology focuses in excavation of domestic and public structures and recovery of material : pottery and lithics. This excavation provides us with information on possibly rituals and chronology. In some instances we excavate outside of chullpas(local name for tombs) while bio-archaeologist excavate inside. Thus archaeological excavations proceed in open space.

June 4-July 8, 2012. University of Paris. Bioarchaeology field school takes part in Marcajirca site (1000 - 1600 AD) and is combined of osteology lectures in Huari Lab and field techniques in the site so that students can acquire skills in both areas. Please keep in mind that excavations are made inside the tombs which have a very narrow entrance and limited space inside. One needs to be able to squeeze oneself in and stay bent or laying down while excavating.This requires some physical flexibility. Besides excavations you will also be analyzing bones in the specially set up field lab.

July 1-July 28, 2012. UCLA. Join us in the Ecuadorian Andes for an intensive fieldwork program. Discover with us the beauty of Ecuador as we continue our investigation of the living landscapes surrounding the Pre-Columbian fortresses of Pambamarca. Live with us and other project members high in the Northern Ecuadorian Andes. Work on all aspects of the research project, including anthropological research and community development activities.

July 10-August 31, 2006. Italian Archaeological Mission. The site of Cahuachi was the cultural center of the Nasca people from the 4th century BC to the 4th century AD. The very dry weather conditions made possible the perfect conservation and discovery of textiles, animals, and human remains. The camp is located in a desert, 35 km south of the city of Nasca.

June 20-July 25, 2010. Cotsen Institute, UCLA. Since 2000, the Pukara Archaeological Project has been actively mapping and excavating in various areas of this 2000-year-old site in the Lake Titicaca Basin of Peru.

June 6-July 7, 2011. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and MOCHE Inc. The field school is designed to provide students with training in archaeological excavation and laboratory methods as well as instruction in the prehistory of Peru. The program begins with workshops on archaeological methods and the prehistory of Peru. After this, students work five days a week excavating elite and commoner households at the Quebrada del León archeological site complex, in the middle Moche valley, located 300 miles north of Lima. On Saturdays, we tours of archaeological sites, and Sundays are free time. At the end of the program, we travel up the north coast by bus to El Brujo, Sipán, and Túcume.

June 19-August 1, 2008. (two sessions). California Institute for Peruvian Studies. Ongoing excavations in northern coastal Peru in the Chao River Valley. In 2008, the focus will be on investigating a part of the site with occupation dating to the Middle Horizon (A.D. 700-1000).

June 17-July 21, 2012. Institute for Field Research. The Vitor Archaeological Project seeks to explore the socio-cultural dynamics and human/environment interactions unique to the inhabitants of the Vitor Valley during both pre-Hispanic and Colonial periods.