CIAAST (Centro de Investigación Arqueológica y Antropológica, Sama, Tacna) is a research center that brings together international archaeologists and anthropologists working on the long-term history of the Sama Valley. Located in southern Peru, the valley forms an important study area to explore new questions and methods in Andean studies and related fields. Most famous as one of the coastal ‘colonies’ of the highland Lupaqa confederation, the Sama Valley is slowly revealing a long and varied history full of insights for researchers and community members alike.
After a 2-year hiatus, we returned to our field research at CIAAST in the Sama Valley to begin the Proyecto de Investigación Arqueológica Valle de Sama 2022. See here for more details.
Beginning in 2017, the CIAAST team has been conducting a broad program of archaeological survey, excavations, and laboratory analysis
Sama Valley Archaeology Education & Training
Learn about opportunities to participate in research projects in Sama
Publications and presentations by CIAAST on the valley’s archaeology and history
Funding for CIAAST research projects has come from the following institutions and agencies (in alphabetical order): Curtiss T. and Mary G. Brennan Foundation, Department of Anthropology (Washington University in St. Louis), Dumbarton Oaks Research Library, Faculty of Archaeology (Leiden University), ERC Synergy Project NEXUS1492 (ERC grant agreement N° 319209), U.S. National Science Foundation, Program in Latin American Studies (Princeton University), and the Rust Family Foundation.