Under the guidance of Dr. Elizabeth Wing, Ms. Susan DeFrance (a graduate student at the University of Florida), will collect archaeological data for her doctoral dissertation. Focussing on a series of sites excavated in the Moquegua river valley in southern Peru, she will analyze faunal remains to determine the effect that the introduction of Old World domestic animals had on the indigenous pastoral system, as well as the reciprocal transformation which occurred in Spanish colonial culture. The sites selected span the Spanish colonial period as well as the altitudinal gradient from coastal plains to Andean highlands. The faunal materials are housed at the University of Florida as well as in Peru. Ms. DeFrance will now focus on the latter. Prior to the Spanish conquest of Peru, native Americans domesticated a number of animals including the llama, alpaca and guinea pig, all indigenous to the region. Because each species has specific environmental requirements, the distribution of each was limited. The introduction by the Spanish of Old World domesticates such as cows and donkeys created a competitive situation where one set of species appeared to succeed in one environment and the second set in another. The details of this process, however, are not well understood. Through examination of relevant archaeological materials Ms. DeFrance hopes to gain additional insight. The research will also help to elucidate the process of culture contact and increase understanding of how different ways of life affect and in turn are affected by others. This research is important for several reasons. It will shed new light on the early history of Peru as well as processes of biological and cultural interaction. The social fabric which was established during Spanish colonial times persists into the present day and much of the political unrest which characterizes Peru today can best be explained in this context. Finally this project will assist in the training of an extremely promising student.
