Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

THE INCA CONQUEST AND CONSOLIDATION OF THE COTAHUASI VALLEY OF SOUTHERN PERU

2008; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 29; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1179/naw.2008.29.1.004

2051-6207

Justin Jennings, Willy Yépez Álvarez,

Historical Studies in Latin America

This article combines historical records and data from archaeological survey and excavations to describe the Inca occupation of the Cotahuasi Valley of southern Peru. The empire constructed an administrative center, established private estates dedicated to the sun and the Inca, built an Inca road through the valley, and created a ceremonial center from a local ritual site. The high Inca investment in Cotahuasi was likely due to the valley's natural resources, its position as a transportation corridor, and its low level of political complexity preceding the conquest. Cotahuasi provides a good case study of how imperial power was mediated through local elites.