Matthew Helmer
Research Student
Education
2009: BA in Anthropology at Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, Louisiana).
2011: MA in Anthropology at Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, Louisiana).
Research Interests
Andean archaeology, performance, community-based research, the Andean Formative Period (1600-1 BCE).
PhD Thesis:
Performance and Enclosed Lifestyles at the Coastal Center of Samanco, Nepeña Valley, Peru
My doctoral research focuses on applying performance theories to a site-based archaeological research project at Samanco, a hypothesized Late-Final Formative (900-100 BCE) community on the North-Central Coast of Peru.
This research aims to contribute to our understanding of the emergence of enclosed lifestyles in the coastal Andes through a framework of performance and community organization.
My research also looks to engage local communities within the broader project goals, and to understand how local communities envision and engage with archaeological sites in the region.
