Finding Hunter-Gatherers in Chachapoyas, Peru

Hunter-gatherer archaeological sites are virtually unknown from the Peruvian eastern Andes, the cloud-shrouded slopes which form the intersection of the Andean puna and Amazonian rainforest. Yet these landscapes have long been recognized as key to understanding topics from the human colonization of South America through the development of the central Andes' distinct agricultural complex. In this talk, doctoral candidate Lauren Pratt will present preliminary results from her dissertation field season in Chachapoyas, a region of the eastern Andes of northern Peru. In 2022-23, she and her team conducted test excavations at six caves and rockshelters in the Leymebamba and Uchucmarca valleys, identifying archaeological remains spanning from the Pre-Ceramic through the Late Intermediate Period. Results from these sites tell a previously unknown story of deep history in the Eastern Andes.