Peru’s early colonial history is generally viewed from the perspective of the Europeans who invaded the region and documented their conquests. Recent archaeological studies, however, are revealing new insights into the experiences of Indigenous and other peoples who lived during this turbulent period. Archaeologist Jeffrey Quilter discusses findings of the first in-depth archaeological and historical study of a colonial Peruvian town documented in his new book, Magdalena de Cao (Peabody Museum Press, 2021), highlighting how they are advancing our understanding of encounters between Spaniards, Andeans and others. Discoveries at Magdalena de Cao include everyday clothing, Chinese porcelains, playing cards, a letter written in a lost language and the earliest human remains of an enslaved African in South America.