Since taking early retirement in 2003, I have been directed excavations at the site of Buena Vista, Chillón Valley, Peru, where we have made some exciting discoveries. Three field schools, one in 2003 and two in 2004 helped us test much of the site. In 2004, we discovered the most ancient calendric temple in the Western Hemisphere, which dates to 2,200 B.C. (calibrated from two charcoal samples in the offering chamber). In 2005, we uncovered the oldest sculptures in the round in the New World (2,130 B.C., calibrated from grass removed from plaster of floor). Images of both are available below by downloading the PowerPoint presentation (presently in Spanish; an English version will be made available).

We hope to date the initial construction of the principle stepped pyramid in 2006 and connect a second temple with a life-size sculpture playing a trumpet with the personified disk in 2007. Kate Pechenkina is directing bioarchaeological research in Neolithic China that she and I began in 1999). I continue to be available in Missouri during fall semesters but spend the spring and summers in Peru and Mexico, where I write and sometimes collaborate in a small way with Louanna Furbee on her projects with the Tojolabal Maya.

"Bioarchaeología at Taller de Archaeometríe y Bioarchaeología," San Marcos University, Lima
(Powerpoint ~7MB)

2007 Archaeological Field Schools in Lima, Perú >> discussions and photos! >>

Manuscripts in progress >>

The New World’s Most Ancient Astronomical Alignments: Buena Vista, Perú

• manuscript (pdf)
• Table 1 and Table 2 (pdfs)
• Figures 1 - 4 (pdf)
• Figures 5 - 9 (pdf)
• Figure Legends (pdf)
• References (pdf)

Early Villages (all in pdf):

• manuscript
• figures (6.9 MB)

Proyecto Buena Vista 2002-2005: El Templo Mas Antiguo del Mundo y Las Primeras Esculturas Preceramicas (Powerpoint - 13MB)
Buena Vista Informe (in pdf)
Planos y Perfilos (in pdf)
Buena Vista Methods (in pdf)

2007 Field School participants mapping a lunar standstill platform.
2007 Field School photos >>