The Orinoco is a prime example of how rivers are, and have long been, home to extraordinary biodiversity and diverse human cultures. Situated between the Amazon and the Caribbean, and linking Andean regions with the lowlands of Greater Amazonia, this vast river connects landscapes, ecosystems, and peoples across South America.

Starting with an examination of paleontological and geological discoveries, I aim to reconstruct the deep-time history of the Orinoco. Archaeology, in turn, provides a rich record of the diverse human groups that have occupied the basin, offering a longue durée perspective on their interactions with flora and fauna, as well as on their music, religion, and social exchanges.

During my time at KLI, I hope to develop specific projects exploring the Orinoquian biosphere and ‘ethnosphere’, while laying the groundwork for a broader synthesis of this remarkable region—one that gave rise to ‘El Dorado’ and other powerful imaginaries following European colonization.