Rebecca Bria

Rebecca Bria is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Texas at San Antonio, part of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts. Her research specializes in Andean archaeology, community-based heritage preservation, and prehispanic material culture, with a geographic focus on highland Peru. She directs the Proyecto de Investigación Arqueológico Regional Ancash (PIARA), a long-term archaeological initiative at the Hualcayán site that integrates scientific research with community engagement.

Her research explores ritual economies, ceramic production, textile technologies, and mortuary practices in ancient Andean societies, particularly during the Early Intermediate Period and Middle Horizon (AD 1–1000). She employs interdisciplinary methods including archaeometry, osteological analysis, and ethnographic approaches to study human-environment interactions, social organization, and cultural continuity.

Bria's publications demonstrate consistent themes: community archaeology frameworks, technical analyses of artifacts (ceramics/textiles), bioarchaeological investigations, and climate change adaptation in ancient and contemporary Andean communities. Her work frequently bridges archaeological data with modern heritage preservation initiatives.

Awards and Honors:

• Dissertation Fieldwork Grant, Wenner-Gren Foundation (2015)
• American Fellowship, American Association of University Women (2014)

Research Funding:

• The Rise of Civilization in Highland Peru: Reconstructing the ritual ecology of two early complex communities (2023-2024, $5,000)
• Sorenson Fellowship for Studies of Humanitarian Work in Ecuador (2021-2022, $100,000)
• Doctoral Dissertation Research: Food Production, Ritual, and Community Organization at Ancient Hualcayan (2015-2016, $24,910)

Through PIARA, Bria leads collaborative fieldwork involving multidisciplinary teams and local Peruvian communities to investigate ancient settlements while developing heritage resources, educational programs, and sustainable tourism initiatives. Her work emphasizes equitable partnerships in archaeological practice.