I hold a Master’s degree in Archaeology with a specialization in Practical Archaeology (Pre-Columbian America) from the Université libre de Bruxelles, as well as a Master’s degree in Archaeology, Sciences for Archaeology, with a focus on Archaeothanatology, from the University of Bordeaux.

My first thesis examined post-burial manipulations of human skeletal remains in Moche funerary contexts (Peru), while my second focused on the contribution of 3D geometric morphometrics as a method for assessing the diversity of artificial cranial modification practices at the site of Pachacamac (Peru).

My doctoral project, entitled “Variation in Cranial Shape at the UNESCO Site of Pachacamac (Peru, AD 500–1600): Identification of Artificial Cranial Modifications and Cranial Pathologies in Pre-Hispanic Populations Using 3D Geometric Morphometrics”, builds on the preliminary results obtained during my second thesis. This research is part of the Ychsma Project of CReA-Patrimoine, dedicated to the archaeological study of the pre-Hispanic site of Pachacamac (Peru).

The study of artificial cranial modifications at the site is part of a broader anthropological approach aimed at better understanding the populations buried there, as well as settlement and pilgrimage dynamics throughout the different phases of occupation, particularly the most recent ones (Late Intermediate Period – Late Horizon).

Artificial cranial modification (ACM) is a practice intended to shape a child’s cranial vault in order to impose a permanent form. The choice of this form has often been interpreted as a marker of socio-cultural identity. Studying the diversity of these forms within the funerary contexts of Pachacamac could therefore provide a better understanding of the identity of the deceased.

To achieve this, the use of 3D geometric morphometrics allows for a more precise characterization of ACM forms than traditional macroscopic methods, notably by enabling the identification of modifications too subtle to be detected with the naked eye. A second objective of this PhD is to use geometric morphometrics to define diagnostic features that distinguish deliberate anthropogenic modifications from cranial pathologies.

The originality of this project lies in the re-evaluation of an important Andean cultural practice as a diagnostic tool for identifying and differentiating cultural patterns, thereby contributing to a more refined diachronic understanding of human movements at the Pachacamac site.