2026 Investigating the Early Colonial Sanctuary of Anlape, Peru

Location: Guadalupe 13841, Peru

Season: July 25, 2026 to August 22, 2026

Application Deadline: July 24, 2026

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://anthroctr.org/program/2026-peru-anlape/

Discount for AIA members: None

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
Université Paris 1 Panthéon (Sorbonne), San Diego State University, Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas, and Anthropocene Research Center

Project Director:
Dr. Alicia Espinosa (Sorbonne), Mg. Jefrin Ascencio Falla (Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas), and Dr. Carlos Figueroa Beltran (San Diego State University)

Project Description:

The Anlape archaeological site, situated in Peru’s North Coast Jequetepeque Valley, serves as a vital record of the transition from Prehispanicto colonial life. Featuring a Prehispanicmound alongside a 16th-century Augustinian monastery and church, Anlape illustrates how indigenous Andean traditions and European colonial structures intersected following the Spanish conquest. Recent excavations by the Guadalupe Archaeological Program have uncovered significant findings, including multiple burial contexts beneath the church floor and architectural evidence of cultural resistance. These discoveries reveal how indigenous populations adapted to and reinterpreted colonial frameworks – such as Christianity and a new social hierarchy system – while maintaining elements of their ancestral belief systems.
For the 2026 season, the project offers an immersive fieldwork program that combines rigorous research with student training in methods like bioanthropology, funerary archaeology, and architectural conservation. Participants will engage in targeted excavations of the church’s choir and sacristy while exploring the surrounding cultural landscape and visiting iconic sites like Pacatnamu. Based in the town of Guadalupe, the program emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach and international collaboration to better understand the enduring legacy of Andean traditions.

Period(s) of Occupation: Historical Archaeology, Prehispanic Period

Notes:
Tuition is $4,870; Earn 8 Semester Credit Units (equivalent to 12 Quarter Credit Units) through our School of Record – Culver Stockton College

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: Full session

Minimum Age: 18 years old

Experience Required: There are no prerequisites for participation in this field school. Students will receive hands-on training in archaeological field work and will spend most of their time learning how to excavate and record their finds. Students must come equipped with sufficient excitement and adequate understanding that the archaeological endeavor requires real, hard work in a camp environment. Some days will be hot, temperatures can reach 25ºC (77ºF), but the sun hits harder as we are close to the Ecuadorian line. It never rains, but some days can be cloudy and windy. Students will be taught how to use a variety of excavation tools, from shovels and wheelbarrows, to trowels, brushes, and sieves, and are expected to use all of them. Archaeology involves physical work and exposure to the elements, thus, requires a measure of acceptance that this will not be the typical university learning environment. Students will get dirty, sweaty, tired, and must work closely with others. We hope that the thrill of discovering archaeological remains will outweigh the stiff muscles and exhausting days.

Room and Board Arrangements:
Cost of Room and Board is included in tuition

Academic Credit:
Earn 8 Semester Credit Units (equivalent to 12 Quarter Credit Units) through our School of Record – Culver Stockton College