Peter Eeckhout

Peter Eeckhout is a Full Professor in the Department of Art History and Archaeology at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), specializing in pre-Columbian civilizations with a focus on Andean archaeology. Since the 1990s, he has directed excavations at Pachacamac, a major archaeological site in Peru that is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He is affiliated with the Centre de Recherches en Archéologie et Patrimoine (CReA) and has authored nearly 90 scientific articles along with multiple books published by academic presses in Lima, Brussels, Oxford, and Cambridge.

Eeckhout earned his PhD in Philosophy and Letters in 1997 and has built his academic career at ULB. His fieldwork has primarily centered on the Central Coast of Peru, with Pachacamac serving as his main research location for over three decades. He has developed expertise in both archaeological methodology and theoretical interpretation of ancient Andean societies.

Professor Eeckhout's research spans multiple dimensions of Andean archaeology, including ritual practices, urban planning, water management systems, and funerary customs. His work at Pachacamac examines everything from hydraulic infrastructure to textile production, sacrificial practices, and the impact of Inca expansion on local cultures. He employs a highly multidisciplinary approach, incorporating bioarchaeology, paleopathology, zooarchaeology, and forensic entomology to reconstruct ancient Andean lifeways.

Eeckhout's publications reveal a consistent focus on Pachacamac while exploring diverse aspects of pre-Columbian civilizations. His recent work demonstrates increasing methodological sophistication, combining traditional archaeological approaches with scientific analyses like ancient DNA studies, drone surveys, and thermal imaging. His research shows particular interest in ritual spaces, cultural syncretism, and the relationship between environmental changes and human adaptation in the Andes.

While specific awards aren't detailed in available sources, Eeckhout's leadership of long-term excavations at a UNESCO World Heritage Site and his publications with major academic presses indicate significant professional recognition. His books with Cambridge University Press and University Press of Florida represent substantial scholarly contributions to Andean archaeology.

As director of the Ychsma Project at Pachacamac, Eeckhout has likely supervised numerous graduate students and researchers over the decades, though specific names aren't provided in available sources. His work appears consistently funded given the project's longevity since the 1990s, with recent publications indicating ongoing research support through at least 2025.

The Centre de Recherches en Archéologie et Patrimoine (CReA) serves as Eeckhout's research base at ULB. His Pachacamac work involves international collaborations with specialists in diverse fields including Lawrence Owens (bioarchaeology), Céline Erauw and Fabienne Pigière (zooarchaeology), and Sylvie Peperstraete (mythology studies), forming a comprehensive research network focused on Andean archaeology.