Climate Change and El Niño Events in the Ancient Andes: Integrating Archaeological and Biorchaeological Perspectives

Our primary goals for this paper include stimulating further interdisciplinary studies of El Niño events, especially those that combine archaeological and bioarchaeological knowledge with that derived from environmental sciences. In so doing, we review recent archaeological and bioarchaeological studies of El Niño events in both northern and southern Peru, regions with distinct susceptibilities to such profound climatic events but likely to exhibit similar human responses. In addition, we illustrate the significance of studying the past in mitigating the impact of El Niño events today. We also note the ways early colonial policies exacerbated the impact of El Niño in cultures where earlier coping strategies were overlooked.