The 'Cerro Azul' Excavation: Searching the Serranía La Lindosa
An archaeological project searching for traces of the first humans at La Lindosa
The path to the excavationsUniversity of Antioquia
Where to start
The path to Cerro Azul from San Jose del Guavire, is a route through the peaceful countryside of the Guaviare. The 40 Km journey reveals the natural beauty of the area.
Excavation preparationUniversity of Antioquia
How to prepare
The Cerro Azul excavation was key to finding archaeological remains of the first humans to arrive in La Lindosa 12,000 years ago. Here, archaeologists are delimiting the excavation area using string to mark each section.
Site visitUniversity of Antioquia
Essential grids
The delimitation grids are essential to provide spatial control of all the remains to be recovered during the removal of the soil. Each find can then be bagged and marked accurately with the grid location it came from.
Archaeological still-life by Archaeologists washing samples in a small riverUniversity of Antioquia
Archaeological still-life
Tools used during the excavation include brushes, dustpans, tape measure, trowels, pens, pencils and notebooks, small picks, line levels, and bags. It's not very high tech but it does the job beautifully.
Beginning of excavation processUniversity of Antioquia
Excavation begins
The photo shows the start of excavation at Cerro Azul in two different units which later joined together. Trowels, brushes and pans help to remove small layers of earth - a methodical process that requires patience. Once the excavation of each layer is completed, the evidence is recorded.
Recording daily excavation workUniversity of Antioquia
Recording the daily work
During excavation it is very important to plot the evidence in situ before it is removed from the floor. In the photo Gaspar Morcote filling an excavation form. Sometimes each layer is documented with drawings, as well as photographs, depicting where artefacts are discovered.
ScreeningUniversity of Antioquia
The screening process
William Rojas at work with the screen to recover small archaeological remains. Screening, using fine mesh sieves, is essential in an excavation because it allows the recovery of small, not very visible remains.
Archaeologist washing organic macroremains in a small river by Archaeologists washing samples in a small riverUniversity of Antioquia
Working with nature
In this picture, archaeologists are washing sediments, in the river, to look for small or micro artefacts such as seeds, animal bones, flakes, charcoal, etc. all of which give us clues about the lives of our ancestors.
Remains discovered after first layer of soil removedUniversity of Antioquia
The story begins to reveal itself
The photo shows the first remains discovered after the first layer of soil has been removed. The finds include lithic (stone) tools, pottery shards and charcoal. What context could we give this? Food preparation? Cooking?
Deeper older evidence revealedUniversity of Antioquia
Depth marks time
In an excavation, deeper levels are older. In this photo you can see how the excavation is progressing. According to the red and white ranging pole (each stripe is 50cm) it's approximately 115cm deep. This depth corresponds to the late Holocene 4,200 years ago.
Layers of earth containing remainsUniversity of Antioquia
The archaeologists' book
The layers of the earth contain the remains with which archaeologists write the history of peoples without history. Here we see the strata of the southern profile and the end of the excavation. The excavation here, takes us back to terminal Pleistocene -13.000-11,700 years.
Digging at Cerro Montoya Excavation (2021-11)University of Antioquia
Excavation profiles
Archaeologists take samples of pollen and phytoliths. These plant micro fossils help us understand what the forest was like in the past and what forest plants surrounded our ancestors. Collected remains, including stone tools and animal bones, are taken for laboratory analysis.
Panel Lindosa 6University of Antioquia
Once the excavation is completed, the stratigraphic layers, that mark the time of the millenary occupations of the site, are defined. It began when a group of people at the end of the Ice Age (12,000 years ago) decided to cross the Guayabero river to colonise this majestic hill.
End of excavation group photoUniversity of Antioquia
Field work is never really over
The end of an excavation is a mixture of feelings. But it is the responsibility of archaeologists, scientists and researchers, together with local communities, to continue the work of respectfully discovering, preserving and voicing the history of our ancestors.
This field season (2017) was funded by the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History, the University of Antioquia and the University National of Colombia. Thanks to all members who made possible the excavation of Cerro Azul. Gaspar Morcote, Javier Aceituno, Sneider Rojas, Jeisson Chaparro, Valentín Castellanos, William Rojas, Benito Vanegas and the Rojas family for their hospitality and collaboration during the excavation.
