Internet Archaeology 10 Currie 4.3

4.3 The second fieldwork phase in 1998

In May 1998, a second phase of fieldwork was undertaken at the hacienda which focussed investigation upon an east-west water pipeline trench which had recently been cut across part of the valley of the Río Tahuando towards Loma Arrayán and the Quebrada Pucangu (Figure 2). This cut exposed the archaeological deposits beneath the present-day pasture, which included moderate quantities of pottery fragments, occasional near-complete vessels, grinding stone equipment (manos and metates - see photo 57 in the gallery for an example) and obsidian flakes, blades and cores. The presence of volcanic tephra exposed regularly at approximate 3 metre intervals in the spoil from the cutting of the pipeline suggested the possibility of ash-filled features or strata below the ground surface, which prompted a more detailed investigation.

Three sectors of the pipeline trench towards the centre-east of the valley were therefore chosen for a more detailed study and a series of trenches parallel to the pipeline were cut, each between 6-8m long, 1.5m wide and up to 2.50m deep. The high water table in the valley necessitated regular pumping to facilitate work in the water-logged deposits.