SECOND SEASON SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL IN THE UPPER AMAZON, IQUITOS, PERU
Department of Anthropology, University of Florida

Instructor: Dr. Augusto Oyuela-Caycedo (caycedo@anthro.ufl.edu)
Field Instructor and Peruvian Research Director: Santiago Rivas Panduro
Date: 6 weeks of field work starting Summer B of 2009
Place of excavation: The site of Quistococha, located 8 miles from the city of Iquitos
Field School Application: Due by march 15, 2009, download here.

Characteristics of the site: The first archaeological site found in the Upper Amazon associated with a terra preta or dark soil. Dark earths are soils that have been modified by human activity to increase their productivity. The site is located on a high terrace formed during the Tertiary, over-looking the Lake of Quistococha. The lake is a residue of water formed by the active flood plain of the Amazon River. The site has been dated to between 300 AD and 900 AD. It is the first site in the Upper Amazon region of its kind. The cultural characteristics of the people that lived in this location are currently unknown.

(July, 2009)

(Housing in Iquitos included in field school fees)

Research Objectives: The objective of the excavation is to test hypotheses on the environmental context of human occupation of the terra firme and its use. It is hypothesized that the area was not a tropical forest, but was dryer than in the present. The forest was previously affected by human selection; specifically for a local species of unique tree. We hope to excavate an area of close to 100 square meters and to record data that allows for the recognition of daily activity patterns of the people. We hope to reconstruct the seasonality of occupation, the use of the forest, and the climatic conditions when the site was occupied. Probing of the lake will be conducted to recover palynological data as well.

Academic Objectives: To train undergraduate students in the practice of archaeological research. This training involves field lab work, recovery of samples, cataloging and classification in the field. Mapping and excavation techniques will also be acquired. The students will be actively involved in the multiple aspects of archaeological fieldwork as well as in field data collection and processing and the preliminary analysis of collections. Course Credits: Students will receive nine hours of undergraduate credit; six credits of ANT 4824 (Field Session in Archaeology) and three credits of ANT 4823 (Labratory Training in Archaeology). To register for courses, please visit  the following  website http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/soc/.

(July, 2009 field  survey participants)