UNM professor explores ancient agriculture and ritual practices in Chile’s Atacama Desert

UNM archaeologist and anthropologist Dr. Frances Hayashida received the Fulbright Award to continue her research abroad during fall 2018. In this video, she gives us a look inside her expedition to Chile’s Atacama Desert. 

Hayashida and her team’s current research focuses on ancient agriculture and ritual practices. During Hayashida’s latest season abroad, their focus was mainly on copper mineral offerings and how these ritual practices may have changed when the locals were taken over by the Inca. The majority of Hayashida and her team’s work this past season was the mapping of these offering sites. 

Hayashida especially enjoyed this project for all of the international collaboration involved.

“I really do think it’s a privilege for U.S. scholars to be able to work in other countries, and I feel really fortunate I’ve had this opportunity to collaborate with my Chilean and Spanish colleagues and do this work. It’s been great for me and it’s been great for my students,” Hayashida said.