First report of the Archaeological Research Project in the Casa Hogar de la Niña Belen, around Atahualpa's ransom room, Cajamarca-Peru

Abstract

This report presents the initial results of the excavations undertaken close to the famed Ransom Room of Atahualpa. The Archaeological Research Project undertaken in the Casa Hogar de la Niña Belén will study remains dating to the Inca Period so as to understand the settlement’s development after the coming of the Spaniards, thus elucidating the history of Cajamarca’s historical centre. The study entails the dismantling of modern structures in order to analyse archaeological and architectural remains, as well as the traces and imprints left on the geologic bedrock, and macro- and microscopic evidence of cultural remains. This project, led by the Provincial Municipality of Cajamarca, is a result of the joint work undertaken by the local government and academia, thus promoting the study and the preservation of local heritage under a sustainable community-centred approach.