2020 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
A Heritage Study on the Modern Use and Value of Archaeological Remains in Peru
| Project/Area Number |
19K13419
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| Research Institution | Ritsumeikan University |
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Principal Investigator |
サウセド ダニエル 立命館大学, 政策科学部, 准教授 (10727671)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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| Keywords | Public Archaeology / Cultural Heritage / Social Memory / Peru / Andes Archaeology / Urban heritage |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
During FY2020, due to COVID-19 pandemic, I was not able to carry out on-site fieldwork in Peru. However, using social media and Web conference tools, I was able to gather data about the use of archaeological remains during this year and carry out interviews with related social actors. An interesting aspect observed with this methodology was that most archaeological sites in La Molina district were actively used as open spaces (parks or markets) for local residents to avoid gathering in closed spaces. Therefore, the COVID-19 pandemic showed that the value of archaeological sites in urban areas should go beyond their role as a monument or tourist attraction.
Since there was a ban on traveling abroad and because of the situation of different countries, most of the international conferences were canceled or switched to online format. However, this situation proved useful to make it possible for me to participate in different international events, sharing information and discussing about the modern use of archaeological remains in Peru and in Japan with researchers from all over the world, as well as the role of archaeologists as facilitators between social actors.
Also, in this year, I was able to compile and analyze the data collected in previous years, allowing me to start publishing some articles related to my research topic.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
Although two on-site fieldwork seasons had to be cancelled during FY2020, online surveys and interviews proved useful to interact with local residents around the archaeological sites of La Molina district. I was also able to interview local authorities using this method, observing and recording their opinions towards the administration of these sites.
Analyzing and publishing my observations of previous seasons was difficult on previous years, but I was able to use part of the time I planned for traveling in reviewing my fieldwork notes, analyzing recorded interviews and ordering the visual information gathered before. As a result, I was able to publish several articles during this year.
However, a problem I found during FY2020 was that I was not able to carry out participant observation about the use of archaeological remains as open markets or recreational spaces. Since I had to rely on on-site collaborators for gathering this information, there might be some information that I will have to confirm during FY2021.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Since at least on the first semester of FY2021 it would be difficult to carry out on-site fieldwork, I am planning to do it during the second half (February-March). I want to review the data gathered by local collaborators and interview local residents about the role archaeological sites played during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also, I will use this first half of FY2021 to finish analyzing the data collected on previous seasons and collect information about the use of archaeological remains in other parts of the world, particularly Japan. This information will be useful to compare the concept of cultural and archaeological heritage in different contexts, and it will give me an insight on archaeological sites managed in Japan that may serve as examples to propose a better use of archaeological remains in Peru.
Lastly, I will finish up registering the archaeological collection of La Molina district and propose different ways of using it to local authorities. I plan to observe how those ways of use are applied during my on-site fieldwork season.
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| Causes of Carryover |
Due to COVID-19 pandemic, I was not able to carry out fieldwork in Peru. Therefore, I plan to carry it out on FY2021 on September and February (2022).
Also, I will make a website to disseminate the information collected by my project.
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