Morgan Moore, “Digital Mapping of the Tambillos Site in Casma, Peru”
Mentor: David Pacifico, Art History

This research project utilizes digital mapping to examine architectural forms located on the Tambillos site in the Casma Valley of Peru. The structures in the Tambillos archaeological site date hypothetically to 700-1400 AD, and are located on the North Coast of Peru in the hinterland region near the capital of the Casma polity, el Purgatorio. This work is a branch of an ongoing project since 2014 surveying the Casma Valley. The use of ArcGIS with satellite imagery allows the performance of basic spatial and statistical analyses. Digital mapping is a cost-effective and time-efficient method for researchers to familiarize themselves with the landscape of an archaeological site and categorize data before entering the field. While this project is currently in its earliest stages, the results have the potential to build on previous research and provide information regarding the relationship between architectural form and spatial consumption at Tambillos. This relationship can inform archaeologists about the history and past uses of the Tambillos site, and can further evaluate hypotheses regarding the connection between spatial consumption and the various social classes of the Casma culture. The conclusions of this research project are expected to reveal whether the relationship between the morphology and room area of the architecture also impacted the way those spaces were experienced by the Casma people. The project also documents the expansion of threats to the archaeological site, such as agriculture, mining, and infrastructure.