Huari-Ancash Archaeological and BioArchaeological Project 2012

2012 Season Schedule and Application process

2011-09-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

Huari Archaeological project during season 2012 will improve methodology in both areas (archaeology and bioarchaeology) by adding more days for osteology studies and lectures using power point presentations in Huari Lab. Please notice that this is a full research project and not a PhD research run by students with a deadline in mind. Our staff is Peruvian professionals, not students (Master or PhD), everyone with minimum 7 years of experience. We offer to improve your skills in a field and lab in an academical and friendly environment.

BIO ARCHAEOLOGY / PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

Group 01
June 4th - June 25th 2012

Group 02
June 17th - July 8st 2012

ARCHAEOLOGY

Group 01_ Marcajirca Site
June 4th - June 25Th 2012

Group 02_ Marcajirca Site
June 17th -July 8th 2012

Group 03_ Huamparán Site
July 10th - July 31th

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.
see details in: http://arqueologiadeancashenglish.blogspot.com/2011/09/bioarchaeological-work-in-marcajirca.html

Archaeology part in Marcajirca Site (Groups 01 and 02) runs together with bioarchaeology part, and 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 tumbs) while bio-archaeologist excavate inside. Thus archaeological excavations proceed in open space.

Archaeology part -Groups 03 - 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).

see details in: http://arqueologiadeancashenglish.blogspot.com/2011/09/archaeological-work-2011.html

So in overview: the bio-archaeology part is excavation inside of tombs(chullpas), recovering and analyzing bones, drawing the distribution of bones inside of chullpas and making an inventory of them( we do not use stratigraphic leveling in this excavation because there is no ground or dirt to be taken out). In archaeology part we work in open space: excavating, identifying stratigraphic layers, drawing distribution of architecture, making inventory and drawings of found material such as pottery and lithics.

Fur further inquiries and application form please write to
archaeology_huari.ancash@yahoo.com in your e-mail indicate which part of the project you are interested in(archaeology or bio-archaeology).

Bioarchaeological Work In Marcajirca 2011

2011-09-12T01:49:00.000-07:00

First group 2011 in Marcajirca: Omar Alejos, Alejandra Contreras, Sammanta Linninger, Dr. John Verano, Jasmine Cloven, Mellisa Lund, Grace Warren, Amelia Hessey, Kristen Glass, Emily McDaniels, Sammantha Holder, Katia Valladares, Kathryn Mortesen, Leslie Corona and Rachael Porter

Second Group 2012 in Marcajirca: Mellisa Lund, José Sanchez, Emily McDaniels, Bebel Ibarra, Rosemary Pinales, Chritopher Rinker, Oscar Loyola, Carlos Escobar y Fernando Gutierrez (up)
Reona Oda, Magdalena Auron, Karine Andreassen, Kelsey Hack and Michaela Reizenger (down)

Lecture in Huari House by Dr. Verano, Department of Anthropology of Tulane University, during his visit to our field school in 2011

Excavations in tombs are usulaly in small spaces

Excavation in tombs involve work in many positions and closed spaces

Verifying Bone Inventory under Oscar's supervision

Analyzing and making inventory of the material beside chullpas

Mellisa supervising bone inventory in Marcajirca Lab

Working in Marcajirca lab students rotate: maximum 3 students at a time in order to give a quality teaching

Bone Inventory Form to be filled out

Drawing recording bone distribution in tombs

Archaeology Work 2011

2011-09-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

Archaeology Team In Huamparan. Up: Parag, Lea and Hugo, sitting upper row: Fred and Linn, Francesca, Christopher, Carlotta and Lindsey. Lower row: Carlos, Jhon, Bebel and Fernando

Excavations in Marcajirca-behind a tomb

Excavation in Marcajirca to determin occupation before the tomb was built

Excavations in Marcajirca - usually in open spaces

Excavation in "area" in Huamparán- we work with several units positioned next to each other

Recordering architecture in Huamparan

Drawing architecture

Excavating to identify reoccupation or re-use of walls

Excavating a possible intrusive tomb in the main structure

Archaeological drawing which is afterwards passed to autocad program

Season 2011 over welcome 2012

2011-08-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

Dear friends: we had a wonderful and interesting season 2011 in Marcajirca and Huamparán, thanks to the 30 students who have taken part in 2011 season.

We want tell you we will have for sure a season 2012 , always in archaeology and physical anthropology/bio-archaeology.

We will update our web site shortly with information regarding application process, schedule and cost.

Contact me with any questions archaeology_huari.ancash@yahoo.com

Thanks to:

Leslie Corona, Alejandra Contreras, Kristen Glass, Samm Holder, Amelia Hesey, Emily McDaniel, Kathryn Mortesen, Grace Warren, Samantha Linninger, Rachael Potter, Jasmine Cloven, José Sanchez, Christopher Rinker, Leona Oda, Rosemary Linares , Michaela Reizenger, Magdalena Auron, Karine Andreassen , Kelsey Hack, Lindsey Potter, Linn Haking, Fredrik Granlund, Lea Rouger, Francesca Bologna, Carlotta Deiana, Hugo Cano, Jhon Cruz, Parag Kadam.

Gracias también a:

Melisa Lund Valle, Elsie Tomasto, Katia Valladares, Oscar Loyola, Fernando Gutierrez, Carlos Escobar, a los populares Omar y Manolo.

Un agradecimiento especial al Dr. John Verano por su visita y contribución al conocimiento sobre los antiguos Huarinos.

Gracias Margarita y Rohan, mi novia e hijo por la paciencia al soportar mis ausencias mientras estaba en el campo.

2012 comming soon

AAPA Meeting 2011

2011-04-07T10:53:00.000-07:00

The project is presenting a poster in the American Association of Physical Anthropology meeting 2011 , we are showing the results of season 2009.

Marcajirca

Is located in the region of Ancash, a province of Huari, approximately 500 km North East of Lima, 3800 MASL and belongs to the Late Intermediate Period. This time in chronology of Peruvian archaeology correlates to 1200-1500 A.D.

This site is about 40 hectares in size, and it is situated at the top of the mountain with a very difficult access to it. Apparently the choice of such location had defensive reasons; there are walls on both extremities of the site - North and South.

The research of the last years shows us the existence of several sectors such as (1)Public- there is an amphitheatre where the population must have had meetings, (2) Residential – which is located in the southern part of the site and so far we have identified 57 ‘houses’, most of them of circular shape. Excavations in these ‘houses’ unveiled evidence of fire, domestic vessels, burned animal bone and some seeds.

However the (3) Funeral sector is the most impressive one. There are 35 chullpas or tombs, and about 23 funeral caves with human remains inside most, although all the remains, whether in chullpas or caves, have been disturbed.

Besides the chullpas and the funeral caves there one more kind of burial which we call an underground burial and it is this type of burial that we are presenting here (AAPA). Underground burials are not very common in the region of Ancash. Nor they are common during the Late Intermediate. Recuay (200-600 A.D.) culture used to bury their dead in a sort of underground tomb, but such tomb had walls which would give shape to the tomb. In Marcajirca’s case excavation shows us that people were simply digging out a hole without making walls and after laying the dead body in and then covering it with dirt.

People being buried underground in a site where chullpas and caves were always open call our attention. Neither chullpas nor caves dominating the site were ever fully sealed as such was the funerary custom of old huarinos and this custom was being practiced in a bigger part of Northern and Central Peru.

Why would people be buried underground having many tombs around? We think that during colonial time (c XVII) the Spanish church prohibited the natives to bury their dead in any archaeological sites following the old custom, and forced they bury the dead according to the tradition of Catholic Church. To old huarinos Marcajirca was a sacred place, a place where their ancestors were still “living” and in order to keep them “living” those alive had to later be buried with the ancestors. Apparently huarinos during colonial time did not obey the Church and kept secretly burying their dead in archaeological sites, and in order to hide the dead and not be punished by the Church they buried underground.

The remains of one individual buried underground date to 1610 A.D. which would mean that the Spanish were already in the area for at least 80 years

Fieldwork Marcajirca 2010

2010-09-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

Inside a chulpa before we enter it

Drawing before the actual recovery of bones from the cave or chulpa

Nicole doing inventory

Briana drawing bones

"Tools" of every bioarchaeologist while in Marcajirca

Field lab

Is that Stephanie in the chulpa?

Marie-Line really perfected that 1x1.5m

Yet she says it is still not perfect

Roc busy with paperwork

Tired of bones Dawn?

Inside a chulpa

Always chatting

Fieldwork Huamparan 2010

2010-09-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

Lab Work in Huari & X-Ray 2010

2010-09-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

A look at deformed craniums via X-Ray

Melissa and Marco

Bebel giving lectures

Melissa lecturing

Life in Marcajirca 2010

2010-09-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

2010 team (standing from left) Cristian, Melissa, Sofia, Alex, Sadie, Roc, Stephanie,

Dawn, Marie-Line (down)Briana, Magdalena, Nicole and Bebel.

Shogapada ritual - giving gratitude to the sacred mountains

Resting after lunch

Magdalena, what are you doing to this avocado? Noooo!!

Girl stuff

Magdalena in a cave

Nicole happy in a chulpa

Alex in a cave...not very comfortable but doable

Melissa, Dawn, Fernando and Marco

Setting up the field lab

Changing the roof before that storm hits. Oops...or was it after the storm showered everyone?

In front of Twin Chulpas

Life in Huamparan 2010

2010-09-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Archaeologists and local crew in Huamparan

Doing Topography

It will be a huge unit for digging

Waiting for Pachamanca

...no umbrella to protect from rain

Setting up a grid for drawing

this architecture is very complex...

it will be a big wall...

Pachamanca almost ready

Cleaning potato for the Pachamanca

Work in progress 2009

2009-11-12T13:55:00.001-08:00

Virgine and Dyllus in structure 10 where remains of over 30 individuals were found

Angela and Ailleen in cave 3

Out of the cave into the light

Virgine and Dyllus finding something

Stephan and Virgine studying bones

Would those be rib bones?

Archaeologists 2009 season

2009-11-12T13:19:00.000-08:00

Team 2009- Standing from left to right: Fernando, Edward, Alex, Aileen, Bebel, Angela

sitting left to right: Cristian, Josh,Virgine, Dyllus and Stephan

Resting after lunch

Catching sun

Stephan at work

Bioarchaeology work in season 2008

2008-11-11T15:48:00.000-08:00

Skulls with remodelations from cave and chullpas

Lab and cave 3

Cave 3, most of work was using headlight

Grid system used in excavation of cave 3

Bone analysis in our lab

Cave 19

Working in cave 19

Skulls in cave 19

Eliza digging in a small cave 18

Excavations during season 2008

2008-11-11T15:30:00.000-08:00

Sector F. Estructura 19

The Torreon

Cave 19

The Torreon

Drawing Ceramic

Cleaning Ceramic

Archaeologists in season 2008

2008-11-11T15:27:00.000-08:00

Second Group -July/August-Up: Bebel, Josh, Margarita, Lauirie, Angela, David, Sara, Nat, Florian, Douglas, Bobbie, Manu, Kristi and Arturo. Down: Cristiàn, Yuri and Gaelle
Firts Group-June/July-Up: Felipe, Scott, Marie-line, Flore, Eliza, Andrew, Lauire, Amanda, Kasia, Margarita and Bebel
Down: Yuri, Carlos, Josh, Stephan and Cristian

Outdoor Lunch

Trying to explain something

The Lab-laundry

Getting ready before go into the cave, no light for couple hours

Helping for Pachamanca

Pachamanca very soon

Waiting for Pachamanca

Pachamanca in 5 minutes

A little soccer match, above 3800 meters 10 minutes is enought

Field School Description

2008-11-11T03:20:00.000-08:00

Students participating in this field school program have the opportunity to spend more than 160 hours of archaeological work at the site. The supervisors of each excavation area are prepared to teach students basic concepts of archaeological excavation, registry of materials, and technical drawing of excavation areas. Additionally the program provides resources for developing skills in digital photography documentation of archaeological artifacts in the field laboratory. The programmed activities also include archaeological explorations in other sites in the valley as well as visits to nearby foreign and national archaeological digs (Chavin de Huantar).
Field School students will assume responsibilities in the scientific work required by the archaeological excavations. Each excavation unit at Marcajirca has a qualified person who is in charge of directing and instructing students of that unit. Furthermore, participating students are also encouraged to make significant decisions which will lead to a better understanding of the archaeological events that take place at the research site.
Prerequisites: No previous fieldwork experience required. An advanced level of Spanish is not required, as many members of project staff speak both English and Spanish. However, it is advisable for students to have basic knowledge of Spanish to facilitate interaction with the local population.

BioArchaeology Research

2008-11-11T03:17:00.000-08:00

The bio-archeaological research is an important part of the project. Marcajirca has many funerary structures, known as chullpas, as well as caves, and semi-caves with human remains. For this reason Marcajirca has enormous potential for physical anthropological studies. This ensemble, (chullpas, caves and semicaves) around 50, most of them, with human bone remains inside. As the site is far from the city, we think it is necessary to implement a strategy which helps us to make quick analyses and optimise results.

Why are tombs dug and bones analysed? The first aim of the research is to know the cult to ancestors; this subject has a deep relationship with funeral patterns. In this case, it is necessary to answer questions such as: were all persons buried in one tomb families or were there other relationships? Were the tombs re-used? Is there a chronological difference between the tombs?

Facing this question, we have designed a strategy which lets us answer these questions. First it would be necessary to determine the minimum number of persons buried in one tomb and we think IT is possible carry out this type of analysis on site. In order to determine if members from one family were buried in one tomb, we need to take bone samples for DNA analyses. To determine if tombs were re-used, first we need to take bone samples for radio carbonic analyses after which the bones are contrasted to determine the bones’ age with DNA analyses. This procedure will help us to determine the chronology of tombs.

The analyses of this funeral structures carried in 2007, have revealed skull with remodelations, reoccupation of this structures, and some bone with osteomelitis, its very interesting the most of bone have in good condition, that mean the individuals were a healthy people, and seem time most of the below to range of sub adult (15-20). At this point, we are trying to determinate whether the caves we built at the same time as the chullpas, we hope our futures excavations will help us with this goal.

At moment we have determinate the presence of 74 individual in a cave, and around 20 in a chullpas. The interesting of this project is that we have to development a strategy between excavation, recover and analyses de bone in the place, all the bones will keep remaining in the cave and chullpas, we think for respect to ancestor they must remain in the original place.
How determinate which bone is older that other a cave is a big problem, due that the archaeological material recover tell us the place was use for long time, in future analyzes, such as DNA and other we will use to determinate the history of bone into the chullpas.
As well we want to know if is possible to difference two ethnics groups, who are identificated by ethno historical documents, but the archaeological evidence is not very clear, so we expecting compared funeral patter from both groups and after comparated DNA from bone both territories.

Our project looks for work archaeologist and physical anthropologist, verification ethno historical information.

The project is focusing on the Late Intermediate Period (1200-1400 AP). During this period there are 2 ethnic groups in the region. We want to compare the DNA of human bones from sites against other sites and the other group ethnic, because this group has been identified through ethno-historical information. Of course, our archaeological evidence will help us to have more information to make these comparisons.

During the season 2008 we dag 3 cave and one chullpas, in addition we are improving a laboratory to make chemical analysis of the bone in order to know the diet of population. We are still proceseing data from this season. The first month the bioarcaheological work was leaded for Stephan Naji from Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique de France CNRS.

For season 2009 we expect to analysis part of bone from last season and dig 02 caves.

In the season 2007 all the physical anthropologist analysis was carried in the site, most of bone stay in the archaeological place; because we think our ancestor have to remain in the place where they use to live. This methodology is only use for us, and we keep it in the next seasons.

Different types of cranial deformation present in Marcajirca

About the Huari-Ancash project

2008-11-11T03:11:00.000-08:00

The project is under the direction of Bebel Ibarra, Phd Candidate for University of Paris 1, Pantheon Sorbonne. This project has been in the process of development since 1997, the early years being focused on surveys to determine the patterns of settlement and chronology of sites.

Since 2004 archaeological excavations have been carried out with the intention of knowing about the lifestyle of the pre-hispanic population of this valley. We are interested in funeral aspects, ancestral cults and the relationship of Early Horizon sites with Chavin de Huántar in Puccha Valley.

The excavations are carried out through test pits on Marcajirca’s funerary sector, anthropological physical analyses are a important part in this project.

The most researched cultures in this territory are Chavin in Early Horizon (900 – 300 B.C), and Recuay in Period Early Intermediate (300 B.C – 600 A.P). The occupations during Middle Horizon (600 – 1200 A.P) are not very well known yet. For the Late Intermediate period (1200 – 1474 A.P), the ethno-historical information spoke about 2 ethnic groups in the region, Huaris and Pincos. For Late Horizon or Inca, we have the Royal Inca Way going through the territory.

Excavation season 2007

2007-10-07T04:16:00.000-07:00

During the season 2007 we were two groups: June with 12 persons (student and supervisors) and July with 18 persons. The excavations were focused in funeral and residential sector;
The excavation in residential sector was made mainly in houses, and at funeral sector in front of chullpas or tombs, and into cave and chullpas (in this case they were diged for physical anthropologists).
In this season have came students from USA, Canada, France, Portugal, Holland and Australia.

Archaeologist season 2007

2007-10-07T04:15:00.000-07:00

Team June 2007, Mary Beth, David, Cara, Katy, Susan, Amy, Alexa, Judith, Adrianne, Juan and Felipe (stand up), bebel and Jillian (seat)

Team July, Felipe, Mariana, Justin, Laurie, Lleliana, Pascual, cesar, Jay and Martin (stand up), Alexa, Kate, Joshua and Arturo (seat)

Kate from Australia always trying to be busy

Our "Cookiedelaer", Alexa, always she found a way to save cookies, she was the chef of blackmarket cookies en marcajirca, unbelive; LOL

Justin, I am sure you are telling an interesting history....

Wow, the worst storm in Huari, everybody ready for evacuation

Jillian, I told you was a big storm, look the ice behind, we were lucky only rain and wind
After the storm we had to have lunch of the house, meanwhile it was improving, but anyways the view was wonderfull, next time we have lunch outside oftenly.

The voleyball team of Marcajirca, anyway our donkey play very good

Excavations 2006

2006-10-19T13:28:00.000-07:00

Diggs Sector R, Structure 3, Unit 2

Digss Sector R, Structure 4, Unit I
Diggs Sector R, Structure 3, Unit 1
Diggs Sector A, Anf. Unit IDiggs Sector F, Chullpa, Unit I
Diggs Sector R, Structure 1, Unit I
Diggs Sector A, Anf. Unit I

Diggs Sector R, Structure 2, Unit I
Diggs Sector F, Structure 3, Unit I and IIDiggs Sector F, Structure 3, Unit I and II

Archaeologist season 2006

2006-10-19T01:42:00.000-07:00

Team season 2006; Up from right to left: Carlos, Milagros Mary, Erika, Felipe, Wally, Azzurra, Manu, Troy, Vicent, Rafa, sited, Katy, Marie-Pier and Bebel (Marika and Robert in Cuzco) Mary if you behave i will set you free, in the meantime, just keep digging,

Peruvian guys taking a break and of course, we would like a beer; unluckily, the store is a 4 hour trek away...
a nice violin concert from Marie-Pier, ey quebecoise c'est posible que tu joue autre chanson???
Francisco and his son Ismail getting water in our life.
I CAUGHT you Vicent, you stole the chocolate...Ce n'est pas une habitude francaise ou oui??? jejejejeje
Canadians girls getting RASTA oulala allez quebecoise
OK Wally, a break is good, but afterwards back to the dig...
Wally what does the donkey say?
I want a nick name, quick....

Excavations and team 2005 photos

2005-12-08T00:25:00.000-08:00

Archaeologist in Marcajirca 2005

Carlos, Ivan, Michele, Fabio, bebel, Kasha, Sonia, Felipe, Gelbert y Michel front at camp

Felipe, Casha, Carlos, Ivan, Bebel, Gelberth, Fabio, Michele and Michel on summit of apu llamoq (4400 meters)

Bibliography

2005-12-08T00:20:00.000-08:00