South American Archaeological Collection

The Department of Anthropology began its active participation in the study of

South American archaeology in 1892 with Adolph Bandelier's expedition to Peru
and Bolivia, under the patronage of Henry Villard. A large portion of the Museum's
collections from Peru were acquired as a direct result of Bandelier's expedition
between 1892-1903 and provided for many years of research in the Museum's
laboratories before active fieldwork in Peru was again undertaken. Among
Bandelier's Peruvian collections are those from the coastal archaeological sites of
Pachacamac, Surco, Ancon, San Isidro de Sayan, and the altiplano site of
Sillustani; among his Bolivian collections are those from several sites on the
Islands of Titicaca and Koati, and the altiplano sites of Tiwanaku, Kokani,
Sicasica, Chichillani, Cachilaya, and Charassani.

In 1930 the Museum sent Ronald L. Olson to carry out a general archaeological
survey of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador - an expedition sponsored by Myron I.
Granger. Olson acquired a collection of artifacts mainly from the South coast of
Peru, and especially from the Valley of Nazca.

In 1932 Wendell C. Bennett carried out systematic excavations at the site of

Tiwanaku in Bolivia and brought back a large collection of potsherds and other
artifacts from the site. The same year, Bennett also made excavations in the
Maracay area of Venezuela, represented by a sizable collection of artifacts from
the site of La Mata.

In 1934 W. Bennett and Junius Bird carried out excavations in the Cochabamba
and southern Lake Titicaca areas of Bolivia, bringing back collections from the
sites of Chiripa, Arani, and Lukurmata, among others. Bennett's next Museum
expedition, in 1936, involved survey and excavations in the Vir, Moche, Chicama,
and Lambayeque Valleys, as well as a general survey of the Pativilca, Huarmey,
and Nepea Valleys of the northern coast of Peru. Artifacts from his excavations in
the Vir and Lambayeque Valleys constitute the most substantial portion of the
collections from this expedition. Bennett's last expedition for the AMNH was to the
northern highlands of Peru in 1938, where he carried out survey and excavations in
the Callejn de Huaylas (at Wilkawain and other sites), and excavations at the site
of Chavn de Huntar, bringing back a representative collection of artifacts to the
Museum.

Junius Bird's contribution to South American archaeology began with his 1932-33
expedition to Tierra del Fuego, southern Chile, where he surveyed the north shore
of Navarino Island and excavated at the site of Puerto Pescado. He continued his
south Chile research in 1934-1937, surveying archaeological sites in the Western
Channels and excavating along the north shore of the Straits of Magellan at Palli
Aike and Fell's Cave. At these two early cave sites, Bird discovered human
artifacts in clear association with bones of extinct horses and sloths, establishing
the presence of human populations in South America at around 9000 B.C. Bird's
findings became an important contribution to the study of early human
populations in the Americas, and the artifacts he brought back from Palli Aike and
Fell's Caves are among the most important in our archaeological collections from
South America.

In 1941-1942, Junius Bird embarked on another expedition for the Museum, this
time to the Atacama coastal desert of northern Chile, where he excavated at
various sites near Arica, Pisagua, Taltal, and Coquimbo. His work here proved as
innovative as his earlier work, resulting in the creation of a long prehistoric
sequence for northern Chile.

In 1946-1947, Bird continued his research with an excavation at Huaca Prieta, a

late preceramic mound in the Chicama Valley on the north coast of Peru. This
research defined the existence of preceramic cultures on the coast of Peru,
adding the Initial Period and the Preceramic to the Peruvian chronology. It also
established the role of textiles as an important medium of cultural expression in
ancient Andean culture. The Huaca Prieta collection at the Museum consists of
lithics, textiles, early ceramics, gourds, shell, and faunal and botanical remains.

J. Bird carried out additional short-term fieldwork in South America in the 1950's
and 1960's, especially a revisit to Fell's Cave in 1969-1970 to collect Carbon 14 and
pollen samples as well as stone and bone artifacts.

Craig Morris (1939-2006) devoted his research to the development of complex

societies in the Andes, and the implications of that development for understanding
the growth of archaic states in general. Most of his work focused on the Inka
Empire and involved both archaeological investigation and studies of the 16th
century written record. For his studies of Inka expansion, Morris conducted two
long-term field projects. The first, carried out between 1971-1982, consisted of
survey and excavations in the Hunuco region of the Peruvian central highlands,
and especially at the Inka administrative city of Hunuco Pampa. His second field
project focused on the Chincha Kingdom of the south coast of Peru, and involved
survey and excavations in the Chincha and Pisco Valleys, primarily at the sites of
La Centinela and Tambo Colorado. The Anthropology Department houses the
archives of Morris' work, represented by fieldnotes, maps and photos of several
sites he has surveyed and excavated.