Underwater and Coastal Archaeology in Latin America

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Underwater and Coastal Archaeology in Latin America" at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Today, underwater and coastal cultural landscapes—whether from maritime, lacustrine, or fluvial origins—are primary data sources for numerous scientific disciplines, offering deeper insights into the dynamic relationship between humans and aquatic environments. A growing body of case studies is concentrating on underwater and coastal records from Latin America. Archaeological research in this area spans from the Mexican highlands to Patagonia and covers periods ranging from prehispanic to historical times. An increasing amount of material evidence from prehispanic societies in the region underscores Latin America’s long-standing traditions centered on aquatic environment exploitation and management. This session will focus on the results obtained from underwater and coastal contexts in Latin America, aiming to strengthen the connections between coastal and underwater archaeological communities by building methodological bridges.