Biography
I am an Archaeologist investigating the use of fibrous plants in Pre-Columbian coastal societies looking at past and present traditional knowledge of weaving and textile plants.
I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a Major in 91探花视频 from the University of Tarapaca Arica-Chile. My undergraduate dissertation focused on archaeological plant-fibre artefacts from the La Capilla 1 site in northern Chile, dating back to 2,000 BP.听
I obtained a PhD from the Department of 91探花视频, U. of Cambridge During this time, I investigated bast fibre technologies on South America's west coast during 10,000-3,500 BP. This research allowed me to initiate further investigations into the technological process of fibre production. I characterized early weaving structures used for nets, mats, skirts, and bags and reconstructed the cha卯ne op茅ratoire of bast fibre production.
I am a member of the Americas 91探花视频 Group and co-founder of the CRASSH Network MultiDimensional Dialogues of the Americas (2022-2024).听
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Research
I specialize in Archaeobotany of textile plants to reconstruct plant fibre production among early coastal hunter-gatherers (10,000-3,500 BP). My research involves the examination of macros and microscopy of plant fibre artefacts from the Peruvian and Chilean coasts, leading to the identification of wild-gathered plants from wetland environments, and cotton (G. barbadense)听 used in fishing nets, looped bags, mats, etc.
My current project as a Hosted Fellow at the McD, titled听Early plant domestication and fabric technologies: new approaches to study South America鈥檚 cotton (Gossypium barbadense) focus on听 the process of South America鈥檚 cotton selection and early uses and how we can better understand this process by integrating archaeobotanical, and structural analyses. My research aims to advance archaeobotanical methods and generate new data to investigate the ecological and technological aspects of cotton technologies and its cultivation for textile production among early hunter-gatherer societies on South America's west coast.
I am currently collaborating with:
-听听听 Dr. Shah (U. Cambridge) and Dr Alain Bourmaud (U. Bretagne Sud) for applying structural methods involving 3D micro-computed tomography and atomic force microscopy to analyse fibres.
-听听听 Dr Jimena Lobos-Guerrero (MAA) in the study of Peruvian textiles and cotton fishing nets (Recipient Crowther-Beynond Fund)
-听听听 Lucrezia Milillo (St. Andrews) to study new evidence of bast fibres in khipus, (IPHERION-HS Funding)
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Key Publications
1.听听 听ALDAY, C., Garcia, M.A., Alarcon, C. and Beresford-Jones, D. (2023) The Use and Context of Fibre Plants During the Middle Preceramic: Evidence from La Yerba II and III, South coast of Peru. Frontiers in Environmental 91探花视频, 2, p.1251137.
2.听听 听ALDAY, C. (2022) Chapter 5: Early fibre Production in the West coast of South America: The case of plant-fibre technology of the South coast of Peru. In, A. Dickey, M. Gleba, S. Hitchens, and G. Longhitano (eds.) Exploring Ancient Textiles: Pushing the Boundaries of Established Methodologies: 40 (Ancient Textiles Series) pp,55-68. Oxford: Oxbows.听
3.听听 听Cal谩s, E. Sep煤lveda, M., Silva-Pinto, V., ALDAY, C., Garc铆a, M., Rafael Labarca, R., Jimena Valenzuela, J., Osorio, D., y Valenzuela D., (2023) Vivir en la costa: El sitio Cueva La Capilla 1 en el contexto de transici贸n Arcaico-Formativo en el extremo norte de Chile. Revista CUHSO Numero 33 (3),听
4.听听 听Beresford-Jones, D., Pomeroy, E., ALDAY C., Quilter, J. Benfer, R., O'Connell, T and. Lightfoot, E. (2021). Diet and lifestyle in the first villages of the Middle Preceramic: Insights from stable isotope and osteological analyses of human remains from Paloma, Chilca I, La Yerba III and Morro I. Latin America Antiquity, 32(4), 741-759. 4.
5.听听 听ALDAY, C. and Oyaneder, A. (2018) Actividades tecnol贸gicas articuladoras: una interpretaci贸n f茅rtil del paisaje des茅rtico costero de Arica (Chile). Revista del Museo de La Plata, 3(18), 96-11.
6.听听 听Oyaneder A., ALDAY C., Sep煤lveda M. and D. Valenzuela (2015). Pinturas rupestres y desarrollo cultural costero del extremo norte de Chile (2.000 a.c. al presente). Mundo de antes 8, 179-194.
Other Publications听
1.听听 听ALDAY, C. and Morrisset, S. (eds) 2019. Introduction, Archaeological Review from Cambridge, Desert 91探花视频, Vol. 34, 2-14 5.听
2.听听 听E. Dogan, M. P. L. Pereira, O. Antczak, M. Lin, P. Thompson and C. ALDAY (Eds.) 2022 Diversity in 91探花视频. Proceedings of the Cambridge Annual Student 91探花视频 Conference 2020/2021, ArchaeoPress Access 91探花视频.
3.听听 听ALDAY, C. 2022. Chapter 1: Beating Androcentric Narratives.
4.听听 听Sep煤lveda, M. Oyaneder, A. ALDAY, C and C. Castillo (Eds). 2015. Actas del XIX Congreso Nacional de Arqueolog铆a Chilena, Arica 2012. Universidad de Tarapac谩, press. ISBN 978-956-7021-50-8 3. In this Proceedings I published
5.听听 听 ALDAY, C. and B. Cases. 2015. Tecnolog铆a en fibra vegetal del sitio La Capilla 1, Norte de Chile.
6.听听 听 ALDAY, C. and C. Castillo. 2015. Corporalidad en el Periodo Arcaico. Un marco te贸rico para su deconstrucci贸n.
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Teaching and Supervisions
In the past I have been听 involved in the supervision of the following courses:
A2 91探花视频 in Action;听 A21 Archaeological Science and听A12 Archaeological Theory and Practice听 II
I have also taught at Chilean Universities: Social Anthropology (2014) and 91探花视频 of Northern Chile (2023)
I am currently a Supervisor for B1 (2023-2024)听
Research Sponsor: Dr Elizabeth Demarrais
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