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. Excavations at the archaeological site of Los Batanes (S-45) continued: this season, we focused on exposing a residential mound-and-patio complex (16m x 36m) in the northern sector of the site. The exposure of a large area of patio or plaza space revealed an extensive web of orthogonal quincha (wattle and daub) wall trenches, postholes, subfloor features and burials that surround the mound itself. Our initial exploration of the mound revealed new architectural patterns of walls made from cobble and fieldstone masonry covered by a dense midden fill or architectural collapse. This fill contained a dense concentration of finds (ceramics, faunal, marine and botanical remains, textiles, stone tools and other artifacts) and overlaid the occupational surface. Due to the unforeseen artifact density, we did not complete excavations of the mound, but will continue our research there in the summer of 2023.
We also initiated a new phase of pedestrian survey this season, targeting the Coruca area of the Sama valley (1100 masl). The survey team identified diverse surface materials and features (burials, terraces, and architecture) at sites with Middle Horizon, Late Intermediate Period, Late Horizon, and Colonial components. These results suggest that this narrow yunga zone was significantly connected into the wider interaction networks of the more populous coastal Sama and highland Tarata valleys.
We are excited to report that our collaboration with the Dirección Desconcentrada de Cultura in Tacna has resulted in the Provisional Protection of Los Batanes S-45 (Resolución Directoral 101-2022-DGPA-MC), a step that is crucial in clearly defining the site’s boundaries and protecting the site from further destruction. This year we also completed the installation of our new lab facility, with space and equipment for the processing, analysis, and storage of archaeological materials.
We are deeply grateful to the members of our research team (in alphabetical order): Sophia Baitzel, Megan Belcher, Valeria Chavez, Lucia Diaz, Joely Fisher, Ariana Garvin, Karla Gaspar, Paul Goldstein, Christie Juenger, Sarah Kennedy, Liliana Leyva, Katie Nussbaum, Elisa Paucar, Nicolle Perez, Celia Vilca, Jennifer Wiessner, Kurt Wilson, Ian Youth, and Roy Zhu.
The 2022 field season was supported by the US National Science Foundation (NSF-SBE 2050528), Department of Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis, and the Department of Anthropology at Binghamton University. Permissions for this research were provided by the Peruvian Ministry of Culture (Resolución Directoral 191-2022-DCIA/MC).
