Processes of State Formation in the Inca Heartland (Cuzco, Peru)

This article addresses Inca state formation in the central highlands of Peru. Using ethnohistoric materials and new archaeological survey data from three areas surrounding Cuzco, the capital of the Inca empire, we argue that rapid Inca expansion after C.E. 1400 was made possible by long-term process...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American anthropologist 2002-09, Vol.104 (3), p.846-864
Main Authors: Bauer, Brian S., Covey, R. Alan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
561520
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Anthropology
Archaeological sites
Archaeological surveys
Archaeology
Archeology
Colonial government
Colonial history
Cultural anthropology
Cuzco
Cuzco Peru
Ethnic groups
Ethnicity
Ethnology
Historical source materials
History
Imperialism
INCA
Incan civilization
Incan culture
Incan history
Peru
Polities
Sources and methods
State
State formation
Statehood
Territories
Valleys
Villages
Wright, Henry
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Summary:This article addresses Inca state formation in the central highlands of Peru. Using ethnohistoric materials and new archaeological survey data from three areas surrounding Cuzco, the capital of the Inca empire, we argue that rapid Inca expansion after C.E. 1400 was made possible by long-term processes of state formation and regional consolidation. From C.E. 1000-1400, a centralized state developed in the Cuzco Valley, extending its direct administrative control over numerous neighboring groups. Less powerful neighboring polities accepted Inca administration early on, perhaps even initiating Inca patronage. Strong rivals to Inca control maintained their independence, at times depopulating intermediate areas and settling in defensive sites to protect settlements and resources. Finally, groups of intermediate complexity used alliances and violence to align themselves with the strongest regional competitors. Such variability in regional integration strategies reveals how Inca state formation processes influenced later patterns of imperial conquest and administration.
ISSN:0002-7294
1548-1433
DOI:10.1525/aa.2002.104.3.846