Galapagos

Fieldwork affiliated with Institute for Field Research (IFR); directed by Dr. David O. Brown, Dr. J. Stephen Athens, William S. Pratt, Dr. José Echeverría, amd Clementine Martal

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Most people are familiar with the story of Bell and his invented telephone. What many might not know is that about 1,200-1,400 yeas ago a simple society with no written language used a device that was similar to our telephone.

Hacienda Zuleta in the northern sierra province of Imbabura, Ecuador is the location of the largest 'ramp-mound' site of the Caranqui culture dated to the Late Period in the highlands chronological sequence (c. AD 1250-1525) and also of a large 17th-century Colonial period hacienda of Jesuit foundation. The Late Period is characterised by the construction of very large hemispherical or quadrilateral 'pyramid tolos, sometimes with a ramp or a long 'walkway' and up to 22 of these ramp-tola sites have been identified in the northern sierra provinces of northern Pichincha and Imbabura (Gondard & L6pez 1983; Knapp 1992). They are thought to have been the political centres of the region's paramount chiefs and the ceremonial foci for their scattered communities (Salomon 1986). Studies suggest they are contemporary with one another, originating from about the 8th to loth centuries AD (Athens 1978; 1992; Oberem 1975), although the phases of occupation associated with the creation of the large quadrilateral ramp mounds seem to be later, linked to socio-economic and political trends of agricultural intensification and increasing population densities which are also taken to characterize the Late Period.

Fieldwork affiliated with Institute for Field Research; directed by Will Pratt

Our fascination with golden objects dates back to ancient times but gold has often very dark and gruesome history accompanied with lost life of innocent people. Not long ago, numerous artifacts of gold and precious stones, indicating the existence of a previously unknown civilization were discovered in the town of El Caño in Panama.

Mysterious ancient underground cities, strange structures and vast tunnels are examples of what archaeologists can encounter when exploring the secrets of the subterranean world. This is exactly what happened in Bolivia when scientists discovered a previously unknown ancient underground city beneath the famous and magnificent site we know as Tiahuanaco, also known as Tiwanaku.