Archaeology not only for archaeologists: Examples of integration of archaeology and rural communities in Perú

Summary

Many people in our society misunderstand the nature of archaeological fieldwork. The misunderstanding often results from a lack of open access with the public by professionals in our discipline. An aggressive shift to providing the public with information and education about archaeological research and the value of cultural heritage will address this concern.

In the highlands of Ancash, Perú, a central objective of PIARA (Proyecto de Investigación Arqueológico Regional Ancash) promotes co-created projects with members of rural communities to explore their prehistory. PIARA designs programs in which the host community discovers the value of their heritage and cultural identity, and archaeologists realize the value of the modern host community.

This poster focuses on PIARA’s 2014 projects including the creation of a small museum in the Hualcayán community, an oral history project on the early history of the community, and fine arts projects that allow students to use the prehistoric material culture to link their past and present. PIARA’s co-creative approach successfully meets both community needs and those of the professional archaeological community.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage