What is the setting in the novel, Excavation?

The story takes place in several different places and times. The story begins with the story of Francisco de Almagro in the year 1538 in Peru. While this is a significant basis for the story, it only consists of a few pages and the majority of the story will take place in modern times; although the year for these passages are not given, the month and the day are.

The story takes place in Peru for the majority of the story after Henry Conklin and his archeology grad students uncover Francisco de Almagro's mummified body. The story will follow several sets of people, which will take the reader to several different areas. Henry Conklin will be in the United States with Francisco de Almagro's remains at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Much of Henry and Joan Engel's discoveries will be made while they are here. Eventually, Henry and Joan will be taken to South American to an Inquisitioner's Abbey. While the setting changes dates and physical location several times, it is easily followed and understood when these changes take place.

The final setting in the book will be described as taking place two years after Henry and Sam's adventures have ended. This setting will take place in a secret government facility on the West Coast at the Institute of Genetic Studies at Stanford. The last chapter will show the reader many answers that were not answered earlier in the book.