In 2018, I conducted field work in Southern Peru on the PIA Valle de Sama 2018 project directed by Dr. Sarah Baitzel. This was my first archaeological project as a graduate student at WashU. It was also my first time traveling to South America. I initially became interested in Andean archaeology after taking an Andean Prehistory course as an undergraduate student at University of California, Davis. As an undergrad, I worked in the Archaeometry Lab and decided to apply stable isotope analysis on human remains in the Andes.
During my time in Sama, I learned how to excavate in a sandy desert environment. Every day after work, I had to shake off my shoes and clothes to get the sand out. Excavation in loose sand made it difficult to create smooth profile walls. It was an adjustment to my previous field work in California, where the soil was very compact. I especially appreciated the opportunity to learn Andean archaeology and methods from the Peruvian co-director of the project, Arturo Rivera.
Stable isotope analysis can identify dietary variations within ancient societies and distinguish different food types that people consumed in the past. As a bioarchaeologist, I am interested in understanding how humans adapted to their local landscapes behaviorally and how this is reflected in the biogeochemical make-up of their remains. I am currently conducting stable isotope analysis on archaeological remains collected during excavation to reconstruct human dietary patterns. This summer, I will continue to excavate and collect more archaeological samples. This will provide addition information on the dietary patterns of populations living in the Sama Valley.