SEEKING AN ETHICAL BALANCE IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRACTICE IN ECUADOR

An examination of the context in which archaeology is practiced in Ecu ador demonstrates that two current ethical concerns within the discipl ine-the conservation of the archaeological record and the recognition of local cultural autonomy-often conflict with one another. Under circ umstances where only one ethical concern can be adequately addressed, archaeologists face a difficult decision. Because each archaeologist r eacts differently to such a decision, it is not possible to construct a universal archaeological ethic. Ultimately, this situation derives f rom the fact that archaeology, and the study of the past in general, c an play a crucial role in the construction of cultural identity.