A view of Operation Four (click for larger version)

July 30 to August 4, 2001

Research at Chankillo was divided into five operations. During the first week, I was assigned to Operation Four, on the South side of the complex. Operation Four's goal was to excavate what appeared to be a massive entryway to the complex. Since the entry plaza was clearly visible from the ravines below, it might have served as a ceremonial stage. Overlooking the Thirteen Towers, it seemed a worthwhile excavation site. It also had the best views.

Operation Four was led by Shawn, an American from the University of Memphis, and Sophia, a Peruvian from Universidad Católica in Lima. Before I arrived, the team had uncovered pillars in the upper terrace of the plaza and a beautiful set of stairs leading down to the lower terrace. Additionally, the team had found evidence of a cane roof that once covered the area. The area was cordoned into several quadrants, called loci. Each locus would be individually excavated and photographed. The goal was to understand the sequencing of the multiple layers of collapse. Which layers were due to natural forces, like earthquakes, and which might have been intentional?

Sophia (left) and Shawn (right) survey the upper terrace. Note the four pillars evident in the center of the picture and the staircase, to the left.

My job was to assist in excavating the rest of the upper terrace and to begin the excavation of the lower terrace, under the stairs. The site was entirely covered by tons of sand and large stones. The researchers believe that Chankillo was filled intentionally, as part of a ritualistic burial or an intentional desecration associated with an ideological takeover. That meant we'd need to move buckets and buckets of slate stone and sand. Our tools were scoops and trowels for excavation and paintbrushes for delicate areas. We'd dig until we found evidence of a floor, and our site contained evidence of numerous floors caused by collapse and later periods of occupation.

A view of both the upper and lower terraces and the stairway. We completely excavated the lower terrace to the floor, seen here before excavation (click for larger version).		The Operation Four team relaxes. I'm second from the right.

< Prev | Next >