RECONSTRUCTING ANCIENT TECHNOLOGY - THE ANALYSIS OF PRE-COLUMBIAN ECUADORIAN TEXTILES

Meryl Federman, Lauren Kapsalakis, Christina Lin, Sarah Longo, Carissa Mueller, Julia Reilly, Kevin Song, Anna Toledano, Jason Wade, Kaya Zelazny

Advisor: Dr. Maria Masucci
Assistant: Danielle Cusmano

ABSTRACT

Ancient civilizations of South America constructed textiles that reflected their culture. In ancient Ecuador , the people of the Guangala cultural phase (500 BC - AD 800) left no recorded history. Archaeologists have uncovered pottery sherds with impressions of textiles. With high resolution microscopy and comparison to modern Ecuadorian textiles, scientists can reconstruct the ancient textile structure. Upon additional analysis it is also possible to reconstruct aspects of the Guangala culture, economy, and technology.