Although publications with biological information gleaned from archaeologically recovered human remains in Ecuador appeared sporadically during the early twentieth century (for example, Duckworth 1951; Saville 1913), intensive research on these materials did not begin until the early 1970s. Following Munizaga's important work on human remains from sites of Valdivia and Machalilla phases (Munizaga 1965), I initiated excavation and analysis of a variety of well-dated human skeletal remains, initially from precontact sites mostly on the coast, but later including historic sites in the highlands. This work formally began in 1973 with the excavation and analysis of the Late Integration cemetery site at Ayalán (Ubelaker 1981a) in coastal Ecuador and continued in 1974 at the nearby site of San Lorenzo del Mate (Ubelaker 1983a). Since 1974, excavations by many archaeologists have produced important well-dated samples of human remains that offer an unusual opportunity to examine temporal trends and geographic variation in biological information (Ubelaker 1988a).

The extent of the research outlined above is nearly unique in Latin America. Partly to blame for the paucity of such work in other areas is the historical shortage of well-trained physical anthropologists. Although significant samples of human remains have been discovered and excavated over the years, the samples have not been saved or otherwise have lost their provenience and thus much of their scientific value, owing either to a lack of awareness regarding their importance, or a lack of professional interest by physical anthropologists.