About the class
During the development of this class, we will learn about the cultures that dominated South America, with a particular emphasis on the central Andes. From the peopling of the Americas to long-lasting cultural developments like the Moche and Nazca cultures or the Wari, we will also discuss the Inka Empire and its territorial expansion. Finally, we will discuss the Spanish invasion and the colonial period and their impact on Latin American history, all under a critical archaeological framework.
Content
| Week | Book chapters and Themes | Additional Readings |
|---|---|---|
| W 01 | Introduction and theoretical perspective | (Covey, 2020) (Smith, 2021) |
| W 02 | Space, time | |
| W 03 | The Preceramic period | (Covey, 2000) |
| W 04 | The Late Preceramic Period (cont) – The Initial Period | (Burger, 2012) (Mauricio et al., 2021) |
| W 05 | The Early Horizon | (Contreras, 2024) |
| W 06 | The Early Intermediate Period – Moche | (Muro Ynoñán, 2018) |
| W 07 | The Early Intermediate Period – Nasca | (Vaughn, 2004) |
| W 08 | The Middle Horizon – Wari | (Conlee et al., 2021) (Fernandini Parodi, 2018) |
| W 09 | The Middle Horizon – Tiwanaku | (Janusek, 2006) (Becker, 2017) |
| W 10 | The LIP – Chimú | (Prieto et al., 2019) |
| W 11 | The LIP– The Central Coast | (Pozzi-Escot & Bernuy, 2022) |
| W 12 | The Late Horizon – Inka Origins and Expansion | (Hernández Garavito, 2020) |
| W 13 | The Late Horizon – The Inka Provinces | |
| W 14 | The Spanish invasion and the early colonial period | (Hernández Garavito & Oré Menéndez, 2023) |
Graded Activities
The graded activities for this course are divided into three: 1) the activities related to the class lectures (for example, quizzes), 2) activities that are part of the research process and essay writing, and 3) activities related to the production of our class podcast show where you will be interviewed about your essay by one of your classmates.
- Class lectures activities:
- Quizzes: You will have 11 examinations. The quizzes will be based on the assigned reading for the class
- Class Presentation: You will do one 10-minute introductory presentation of the assigned reading of the day. Here, you will choose the reading related to your main research topic
- Research process and essay writing
- Choosing a topic: You will choose an archaeological site based on the course content. The site you choose should be explored and presented in the context of the Andean past
- Bibliography: After choosing your site, you will compile at least ten sources (peer-reviewed articles or academic books) to help you write your essay.
- Reviews: You will choose four sources (peer-reviewed research articles) and write a critical review following your instructor’s instructions.
- Critical Essay: You will write a critical essay on your selected archaeological site. The essay should be engaging and have a clear argument.
- Podcast creation
- Podcast Workshops: There will be three mandatory workshops (during class time) where you will actively learn how to record and produce a podcast. We will work closely with the Lied Library resources and their multimedia and design specialists.
- Podcast Interview: Based on your critical essay about the archaeological site you chose, one of your peers, after reading your essay, will interview you about it. The interview needs to be engaging and informative.+
Archaeological Sites in the Andes… the podcast
This podcast highlights various archaeological sites in the Andes by interviewing students who have become experts on them. In each episode, a student interviews a colleague based on a previously written essay about the selected archaeological site. The goal is to discuss the sites’ importance and create a fluid conversation while sharing accurate information.
Students from the Archaeology of South America class had three workshops with David Ramos-Candelas from the Multimedia Production Studios at Lied Library, where they learned to record and edit audio for podcast production. These are the interviews for season one of the podcast. Enjoy!
Season 01 Fall 2024
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S01 E05 Archaeological sites in the context of the Andean Past: Mawchu Llacta – Interview to Cynthia Marrufo by Edgar Vera
Dec 16, 2024 • 7:15
Nestled in the upper reaches of the Colca Valley of southern highland Peru resides the siteof Mawchu Llacta, whose nominal roots exist in the Quechua language. However, at the time ofits establishment in the 16th century, Mawchu Llacta would have existed as Santa Cruz de Tute, aSpanish colonial town known…
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S01 E04 Archeological Sites In The Context Of The Andean Past:Huanuco Pampa – Interview to Edgar Vera by Cynthia Marrufo
Dec 16, 2024 • 5:18
The Incan Empire. A vast and powerful nation that occupied a large portion of WesternSouth America on the Andean Mountains from the Pre-Columbian early 1400s to the 1500swhen the Spanish conquered the land and its people. Known as “The Realm of the Four Parts,”the expansive empire consisted of political, administrative,…
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S01 E03 Echoes of an Empire: The Wari Connection to the Inka – Interview to Dylan Jahrling by Anjali Sumpter
Dec 16, 2024 • 7:05
The Wari archaeological site near the modern-day Ayacucho in Peru’s central highlands isa cornerstone of Andean archaeology and a critical precursor to the Inka Empire. Flourishingduring the Middle-Horizon period (600-1000 CE), the Wari civilization marked one of SouthAmerica’s earliest instances of state-level organization. The site demonstrates remarkableadvancements in urban planning,…
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S01 E02 Tiwanaku: A Comprehensive Study of an Andean CivilizationTiwanaku – Interview to Daniela Mirabal Torres by Mateo Castro
Dec 16, 2024 • 6:34
Tiwanaku, located on the southern shore of Lake Titicaca in modern-dayBolivia, is one of the most significant and enigmatic archaeological sites in theAndes. This ancient city, once the capital of the Tiwanaku civilization, flourishedbetween approximately 500 and 1000 CE, predating the rise of the Inca Empire byseveral centuries. Known for…
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S01 E01 Chan Chan: Power Through Architecture, interview to Mateo Castro by Daniela Mirabal Torres
Dec 16, 2024 •
Chan Chan is often advertised as the largest mud city in the world to the public. However,this statement tends to undermine the significance of Chan Chan as an archaeological siteimportant to the Andes. Chan Chan, located near the city of Trujillo, Peru, was the royal capitalfor the Kingdom of Chimor.…
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