Excavating the past in the present: Doing archaeology at the pre-Columbian city of Tiwanaku

Nicole Couture, Canada Research Chair in the Anthropology of Early Urbanism, Dept of Anthropology, McGill. Drawing on her research at the ancient South American city of Tiwanaku, Nicole Couture will discuss how contemporary archaeologists study a wide range of objects and excavation contexts - whether the sumptuous palaces of kings and queens or the garbage pits of poorer neighbourhoods - to understand the complexity and diversity of past societies. She will also explore the implications of archaeological research in contemporary Latin America, including the importance of archaeological sites as symbols of both national and indigenous identity. Jointly presented by the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science as part of the new "Books and Beakers" series. Reception to follow.