The Contemporary Past of San Pedro de Atacama, Northern Chile: Public Archaeology?

Abstract

Historically, the relationships between archaeologist and the indigenous communities in San Pedro Atacama (northern Chile) have been complex and conflicting. The study of the contemporary past in this oasis situates us fully in the present, in a horizontal timeframe that gives us the chance to try a new approach to archaeology, letting our practice be guided in a critical, reflexive manner and acknowledging that it is immersed in a fabric of social and political relations. In this article, we examine our archaeological practice as we embark on the study of capitalist expansion in San Pedro de Atacama.