Investigating agropastoral landscapes, past and present
Proyecto Arqueológico de Lugar, Plantas, y Animales de los Collaguas Antiguos (ALPACA) is a multinational archaeological research project centered in the Colca Valley (Arequipa, Peru). Our interdisciplinary team is examining prehistoric farming practices of the Collaguas to understand how wealth and inequality are generated under conditions of crisis.
The research focuses on the Late Intermediate Period (ca 1000 – 1450 CE), a period in which farmers in the valley faced numerous uncertainties, including drought, warfare, and political instability.
With funding from the National Science Foundation, in 2024 we started a multi-year project consisting of labwork, survey and excavations. Check back often as we start to share the results of our research.
Principal Investigators
Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies & Anthropology
Winthrop University
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Binghamton University
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
Cornell University
Where we work
The Colca Valley
Located high in the Andes mountains, the Colca Valley is a landscape of contrasts. Agricultural terraces cross hatch the valley walls, alpaca corrals dominate the higher elevations, and condors soar in the heavens above.
