Institute at Brown for Environment and Society

For my dissertation research, I trace the history of pottery production in Amazonas- Peru, examining how potters from the community of Huancas were able to maintain their potting tradition for over 550 years, and despite centuries of colonialism. Pottery production and consumption are social processes maintained through daily practices, which articulate communities, landscapes, and political economies. In this project, I conduct macro and microscopic analysis on ceramics from contemporary and archaeological contexts, to identify the raw materials (e.g., micas, quartz, feldspars, and vegetable fibers) used from geological deposits in the surrounding ecological landscape. Through this work, I examine which materials potters selected from their surrounding environment, and more broadly I explore the relationship between people and landscapes.