Excavating Uchcumachay

I am an undergraduate student studying archaeology and geoscience with a specific interest in South American archaeology. When my advisor, Matthew Biwer, invited me to join him on a project in the Highlands of the Andes of Peru for the month of July, I was ecstatic. I had no idea that this experience would turn out to be far more incredible and transformative than I could have ever imagined.

I quickly learned that traveling to Tarma, the town we would stay in for the next month, was no easy endeavor. There are few roads connecting Peruvian cities. We left Lima in a Movilbus. After 8 hours of switchback, winding roads, and incredible views of

the largest mountains I have ever seen in my life, we arrived at our destination. The city of Tarma was larger than I had imagined, and we were greeted with the inviting sounds of many, many Moto-taxis. The city sits at an elevation of over 3,000 meters, located between the towering mountains that increase in altitude as you venture into them, and where the location of the archaeological excavation site was.

A view of Tarma, Peru.

For the next month, to get to the excavation site, we would travel about an hour to the puna, or a highland grassland. Our goal was to excavate a site called Uchcumachay, which translates to “cave site” from Quechuan. The site was located on a cliff near a road that led into the city of Junín. In Peru, July is part of their winter season, and arriving at the site in the early morning, along with the higher elevation made the air significantly cooler, especially when the sun was not shining. Our trek from the parked van to the site included a short walk alongside the road, a jump over a drainage pit and a hike up to where we excavated. Field work at this high elevation was difficult at times, specifically towards the beginning of the project when everyone was still acclimating to the elevation. Although the physical labor was sometimes intensive, it was extremely rewarding to work with such a skilled team.

Excavated units of the Uchcumachay site.

Working with predominantly graduate students and professors, I was a part of a very professional environment that challenged me to do my best work while having a great time with the team members. We had group dinners every night and occasionally visited Mookie’s – a local bar we enjoyed. Every Friday we brought apple pie to the field as a treat for our hard work. This experience also provided me with great insight into what my future as an archaeologist would look like. Throughout the month I worked in Tarma, I spoke with graduate students about the process of getting a doctoral degree and was given a lot of great advice that will help me when applying for a graduate program.

In addition to working at the excavation site, I assisted my advisor, Matthew Biwer, a paleoethnobotanist. Our job was to complete the flotation of soil samples. With every level excavated, one 2-Liter soil sample was collected to be floated. The flotation of soil samples is a process that separates the heavier sample fractions from the light sample fractions that are later analyzed under a microscope to find plant preserved remains. Through this experience, I was able to learn firsthand how to complete the floatation of soil samples, as well as the importance of preserved plant remains within archaeological contexts. My upcoming semester at Dickinson College, I will analyze the floated soil samples from Uchcumachay for any paleoethnobotanical remains.

My month-long archaeological excavation in Tarma was truly one of the most exciting experiences of my life, and I was lucky enough to return to Peru during winter break to help finish artifact cataloging where I worked with three other undergraduate students from Texas A&M University. After around three weeks of long workdays filled with the cleaning of the extensive volume of artifacts uncovered from the site, we were able to finish and send the cataloged artifacts to the Peruvian Ministry of Culture.

A view of everyday life in Tarma.

These experiences taught me the spontaneous and adventurous nature of the field of archaeology – and more so that I was able to handle it all the while enjoying everything. I was able to meet a lot of amazing people through this project as well as learn what life is like in Peru. Not only was this opportunity a great learning experience academically, but also culturally. I quickly learned that I loved Peruvian food as well as the many other cultural celebrations which often include parades, fireworks, and concerts. Through this experience, I fell in love with Peruvian culture and hope to continue work within the country.