A Political Archaeology of Latin America’s Recent Past: A Bridge Towards our History

Abstract

In Latin America, archaeologists have begun to apply their theories and methodologies to the 1960s and 1980s, a period that witnessed the rise and fall of numerous oppressive dictatorships. The era of dictatorship was characterized by the implementation of economic, political, and social projects and by the disappearance and killing of thousands of people. These extreme methods were part of a range of strategies aimed at effecting widespread social transformation. How can the archaeologist study these fearsome acts of repressive governments – is the discipline of archaeology able to continue working within its usual paradigms, or does the study of morbid topics such as mass graves and torture call for new theories and methods? In this chapter, we consider the role of the archaeologist in negotiating, understanding, and interpreting these complex, painful pasts in Latin America.