Jordan A. Dalton, PhD

I am an anthropological archaeologist interested in understanding how decisions about land use and agricultural practices are embedded in social and political relationships that are tied tied to complex economies. I conduct research in the Chincha Valley of Peru at the urban center of Las Huacas, where I explore how the ancient Chincha people experienced and adapted to Inca expansion (AD 1400-1532) and Spanish colonialism (AD 1532-1821). Within this, I am particularly interested in economic exchange and practices of weight and measurement. My excavations at the site of Las Huacas recovered one of the largest collections of ancient Peruvian balances (scales) from known contexts. This research is creating exciting new questions about ancient Andean economic practices and the role of weight and measurement in ancient societies.