Chinese Archaeologists Launch First South American Field Project

On August 22, representatives of the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) signed cooperation agreements with Peru’s Ministry of Culture Caral Archaeological Zone and the Professional School of Archaeology at the National University of San Marcos. The agreements authorize a joint research program focused on the Caral civilization, marking the first official entry of Chinese archaeological institutions into South America.

China DailySouth China Morning Post

Academic ties between China and Peru date back to 1973, when Xia Nai, then director of CASS’s Institute of Archaeology, led a delegation to Peru and visited sites such as Machu Picchu. A reciprocal Peruvian delegation visited China in 1974, establishing a long-standing exchange framework that now underpins the new cooperation.

China Daily

The signed accords cover comprehensive field work, including surveys, excavations, scientific-technological research, cultural-heritage conservation, and joint talent training. The first phase will involve field surveys of the valleys of the Chancay-Huaral and Supe rivers and on-site inspections of key Caral sites such as Caral and Aspero. The collaboration will later expand to Inca-period sites in the Andean highlands, enabling comparative studies of ancient Chinese and South American civilizations.

South China Morning PostChina Daily

Both parties aim to obtain first-hand archaeological data on the Caral civilization—widely regarded as the oldest known civilization in the Americas, flourishing roughly 3000 BC to 1800 BC—and to compare it with early Chinese societies across the Pacific Rim. The Chinese side anticipates contributing a distinct academic perspective to global debates on the origins of complex societies, while the Peruvian side expects to benefit from China’s experience in scientific archaeology and heritage preservation, fostering mutual academic enrichment.

China Daily