The Anlape archaeological site in Northen Peru serves as a vital record of the transition from Pre-contact to colonial life. Featuring a Prehispanic mound alongside a 16th-century Augustinian monastery and church, Anlape illustrates how indigenous Andean traditions and European colonial structures intersected following the Spanish conquest. Recent excavations by the Guadalupe Archaeological Program have uncovered significant findings, including multiple burial contexts beneath the church floor and architectural evidence of cultural resistance. These discoveries reveal how indigenous populations adapted to and reinterpreted colonial frameworks – such as Christianity and a new social hierarchy system – while maintaining elements of their ancestral belief systems.

For the 2026 season, the project offers an immersive fieldwork program that combines rigorous research with student training in methods like bioanthropology, funerary archaeology, and architectural conservation. Participants will engage in targeted excavations of the church’s choir and sacristy while exploring the surrounding cultural landscape and visiting iconic sites like Pacatnamu. Based in the town of Guadalupe, the program emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach and international collaboration to better understand the enduring legacy of Andean traditions.

All field school directors are experts in their field and passionate about their work. To discuss the suitability of this program for your career goals – whether within or outside academia – you are invited to contact the directors directly. For a broader discussion which ARC program to choose, you are welcome to contact our staff directly – you can do that through our “Contact Us” page.

Associate Professor, Department of History of Art & Archaeology, Université Paris 1 Panthéon – Sorbonne & Research Associate at the ArchAm laboratory, CNRS

Associate Professor, Professional School of Archaeology at the Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas (Peru)

Lecturer and graduate faculty, Department of Anthropology at San Diego State University

• Application: You must apply online for this program – application is free
• Deposit: A $300 nonrefundable deposit (part of the total tuition cost) is required to secure a space in the program
• Credit Card Fee: Payments with credits cards incur 3% processing fee
• Late Fee: A $100 Late Fee will be added to the program costs if tuition is not paid in full by payment deadline
• Cancellation Policy: Carefully read our Cancellation Policy before committing to attending our programs
• Trip Cancellation Insurance: Trip cancellation insurance is not provided by ARC. Such policies have changed due to Covid 19. If you wish to purchase an insurance policy that covers pandemic contingencies, explore Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) plans. Insuremytrip or Travel Guard are possible websites where you may explore different insurance policies.

During the four-week excavation component of the field school, students and staff will live at the Roma Hotel in the town center of Guadalupe. You are not required to bring towels, sheets etc., but you are expected to bring personal items (shampoo, soap, etc.). Students will stay 2-3 in a room, each with a private bathroom and Wifi.

Three meals a day are provided by the program. Small town food in Peru is limited in its variety and usually includes rice, lentils, salad and chicken. It will not be possible to provide meals that are fully gluten free, kosher or hallal. Vegetarian diets may be accommodated but staff must be notified in advance. Bottled water will be provided, and it is crucial that students do not drink tap water, even if boiled.

We suggest you hold purchasing your airline ticket until six (6) weeks prior to departure date. Natural disasters, political changes, weather conditions and a range of other factors may require the cancelation of a program. The ARC typically takes a close look at local conditions 6-7 weeks prior to program beginning and makes a Go/No Go decision by then. Such time frame still allows for the purchase of competitively priced airline tickets, while protecting students from potential loss of ticket costs if the ARC is forced to cancel this program.

Students will be met on the first day of the program (Sat) at the Trujillo International Airport by the arrival area door. Meeting time is 4:00pm.

There are no special visa requirements for U.S. citizens travelling to Peru, as long as you do not stay longer than 3 months. Passport’s expiration date should exceed the stay by at least 3 months.

Citizens of other countries are asked to check the Peruvian Embassy website page at their home country for specific visa requirements.