Beyond the margins of the middle and lower Sama Valley lie the inter-valley pampas (plains). While this kind of landscape is often ignored by archaeological projects that focus on coastal valleys, our survey has explicitly targeted the pampas that extend between Sama and its neighboring valleys (Moquegua and Locumba to the west and Caplina, Lluta and Azapa to the east). Characterized by quebradas (dry washes), low hills, and areas of sand dunes, the pampas are criss-crossed by trails and roads that have long connected the communities of Sama with the wider world. Using a combination of satellite imagery and pedestrian survey, we have begun to trace some of these routes and associated sites (low-density artifact scatters, cairns, and caravan campsites) to better understand the long-term role of Sama as a key node in late prehispanic and historic networks of mobility and trade.
