My state or yours Wari "labor camps" and the Inca cult of Viracocha at Raqchi, Cuzo, Peru

The archaeological site at Raqchi is best known for the large Inca building identified by colonial sources as the "temple of Viracocha." The site also has an enclosure with 152 circular buildings that have previously been interpreted as Inca state storage: collcas. Although Inca pottery wa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Latin American antiquity 2013-03, Vol.24, p.21-46
Main Authors: Sillar, Bill, Dean, Emily, Trujillo, Amelia Pérez
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The archaeological site at Raqchi is best known for the large Inca building identified by colonial sources as the "temple of Viracocha." The site also has an enclosure with 152 circular buildings that have previously been interpreted as Inca state storage: collcas. Although Inca pottery was found within some structures, the utilitarian pottery, carbonized plant remains, and hearths found on the floors of the buildings at Raqchi date their construction to the Middle Horizon. These results have caused a significant reinterpretation of the site and highlight a distinction between the political economies of the two largest Andean states. We suggest this sector of the site functioned as a Wari compound for seasonal work groups, similar to those at Pikillacta and Azángaro, suggesting a potential coercive aspect within Wari colonization. This prompts a reevaluation of the Viracocha cult during the Inca period, its reclaiming of Tiwanaku and Wari state sites, and the role of public ceremony within Inka state policy. [Publication Abstract]
ISSN:1045-6635