About This Project

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Competition over access to resources is a major cause of conflict in the world today. However, resource scarcity is an ancient problem and groups throughout history have employed different strategies to overcome it. Previous research conducted by the Huanangue Valley Archaeology Project has demonstrated that coastal groups were able to peacefully share access to water with local groups in the Huanangue Valley by providing marine products (shellfish, fish, possibly salt, among other goods) to local groups in exchange for rights to water. However, we still know little about the dynamics of this trade. Specifically, how did people (and marine goods) move between the coast and the Huanangue Valley? Ampituna may hold the key to understanding the dynamics of this movement.

What is the significance of this project?

Documenting and mapping Ampituna is critical for a number or reasons:

• Locating and documenting the site is critical to ensuring its preservation as many archaeological sites are lost to mining, farming and other human activities
• Due to its unique inter-valley location, Ampituna may be key to understanding how groups from the Chancay and Huanangue Valleys interacted and may provide insight into regional interaction more generally.
• This projects provides us with the opportunity to further test and develop balloon mapping, a relatively new technique where low-altitude aerial photos are taken by suspending a digital camera on a balloon or kite which is then flown over the site. This allows us to make high quality maps at a low cost. We also plan to train local people in using this technique.

What are the goals of the project?

We have three main goals:

1. Test balloon mapping technology at site of Cerro Blanco in order to develop a methodology to use at Ampituna. Cerro Blanco is a good candidate for testing the rig. The site is easily accessed and aerial photographs already exist, making it possible to check the accuracy of our balloon photos
2. Finding and mapping Ampituna. We will hire a local guide and, starting from the highland town of Ihauri, hike to the location where local people say Ampituna is. We will then camp at the site and use the methodology we developed at Cerro Blanco to map the site.
3. Train local people in the use of the balloon rig. The Huanangue Valley is remote and local people often need mapping services. Teaching them to use the rig will free them from relying on topographers from the capital.