The advance of the Archaeometry in Peru represents a profound change in the nature of exploration and conservation cultural heritage. This discipline, which combines knowledge of physics, chemistry and other sciences, has promoted the development of new technologies and the training of specialized professionals essential for analyzing the country’s archaeological remains with unprecedented precision.
The consolidation of archaeometry positions Peru as a regional reference, evidenced by the growing demand for experts and the creation of the first South American master’s degree in the field. As the physicist explains Julio Fabian SalvadorThe training of new generations of archaeometers is crucial so that Peru’s extensive archaeological heritage can be studied and preserved with scientific rigor.
Peruvian academic institutions such as the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos are leading this process by promoting the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and fostering collaboration between national and international researchers. The local push into archaeometry opens up new possibilities for the interpretation and protection of cultural heritage.
In December of this year the National University of San Marcos will announce a new entrance examination for the third year of its master’s degree in archaeometry, which has already received two promotions in training. In addition, it will organize the First Peruvian Archaeometry Colloquium on Wednesday, December 10th and Thursday, December 11th in the Research Pavilion of the Faculty of Physics. This meeting will bring together national and international specialists to present research results on ancient metallurgy, pre-Hispanic pigments, ceramics and historical tiles from the center of Lima and other cultural heritage materials.
The application of the Archaeometry In Peru, it has enabled significant advances in the analysis of archaeological materials. A relevant case is this Huaca de la Lunain Trujillo, where portable devices enabled the analysis of pigments from Moche murals. The results confirmed the presence of copper minerals in green and light blue colors, hematite in red colors and calcite in white colors. These conclusions were supplemented by laboratory analyzes such as X-ray diffraction, which showed that experts in physics, chemistry and instrumental analysis are required to correctly interpret the data obtained by archaeologists using portable devices.
The specialist Julio Fabián Salvador emphasized that the quality of interpretation depends on the multidisciplinary training of the professionals involved.
Technological development was crucial to the development of archaeometry. About thirty years ago, analytical instruments underwent a miniaturization process that led them to no longer take up the space of a desk, but to reach dimensions similar to those of a laptop or even the size of a pistol. Technologies such as X-ray fluorescence and Raman spectrometry, originally developed by the POT For missions to the Moon and Mars, they were later adapted to examine historical pieces in museums and archaeological sites, allowing research to be carried out without radar or radio communicationthereby avoiding the transfer of sensitive items to laboratories.
According to Fabián Salvador, “Two decades ago, instruments like
At the national level, the first systematic and international research on archaeometry was carried out between 2006 and 2007 under the direction of the Italian physicist Roberto Cesareofrom the University of La Sapienza. As part of this project, a Peruvian team led by Ángel Bustamante and foreign-trained specialists carried out the scientific characterization of gold, silver and copper pieces from the royal tombs of Sipán and the Lord of Sicán.
The results of these analyzes allowed us to identify alloy types, manufacturing techniques and technological patterns that were typical of ancient Peruvian societies. The group later expanded its studies to include the collections of the Vicus Museumthe Lady of Cao and other national museums, with publications in indexed journals that today represent important references for archaeometry in the Andes.
The Archaeometry uses methods from physics, chemistry, biology and engineering to devote itself to the scientific study of cultural heritage. These methods make it possible to date materials, identify their chemical and mineralogical composition and reconstruct production processes using techniques such as radiocarbon dating, X-ray fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy or X-ray diffraction.
Fabián Salvador explained that, for example, when recovering a piece of ceramics during excavations, using archaeometry it is possible to determine its age, analyze its components and understand the methods used in its production. This scientific approach complements traditional approaches to archeology and enables more accurate reconstructions of ancient technologies, exchange routes and cultural practices.
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