The long neglected lowland American tropics have only recently received any significant amount of scientific attention. This unprecedented explosion of interest is the unfortunate product of a conspiracy of events whose global repercussions have forced us to confront the dramatic consequences of rapid ecosystemic degradation, declining biodiversity, and cultural extinction. As we race against time to learn as much as possible about these quickly transforming environments, we are consistently frustrated and humbled by how little we actually know. In our search for a clearer appreciation of the future implications that current policies and practices may hold, we are simultaneously compelled to reflect on the area's rich and complex archaeological past.

The relative paucity of systematic archaeological investigation conducted throughout this vast region is generally attributed to some combination of logistical constraints, lack of ground visibility, meager preservation, and/or an historic deprecation of lowland environments. Much of our knowledge of lowland neotropical prehistory is built upon a scattered patchwork of museum pieces and fortuitous observations. Together with a healthy dose of speculation, these isolated bits of data are linked together via trait comparison, and correlated with reliable observations obtained from the few geographically disparate scientific excavations undertaken so far.

Amongst the small group of intrepid archaeological pioneers whose efforts unearthed an early glimpse at the prehistoric world of the vast South American lowlands, Donald W. Lathrap occupies a prominent niche.