Willy Yépez Álvarez

Architecture, Local Elites, and Imperial Entanglements: The Wari Empire and the Cotahuasi Valley of Peru

Abstract One of the enduring problems in the archaeology of ancient states and empires is the recognition of different forms of regional consolidation in the archaeological record. Among the clearer markers of direct control over an area is thought to be the construction of an administrative facility. Our recent research on the impact of the Wari Empire (A.C. 750–1000) in the Cotahuasi Valley of Peru, however, suggests that facilities built by and for local elites may emulate so many aspects of state facilities that they can be misinterpreted as intrusive sites. We demonstrate how the Cotahuasi sites diverge from the architectural canon found at Wari administrative facilities and suggest why this convergence of local and imperial architectural styles occurred.

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

Abstract 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.

Ancient pathways and geoglyphs in the Sihuas Valley of southern Peru

Anthropogenic pathways and geoglyphs comprise two of the most recognisable pre-Colombian features of the Peruvian Andes. Although often found in close proximity, there has been no quantitative investigation of the relationships between these types of landscape features. To investigate, the authors performed spatial analysis and simulation modelling on a combination of unmanned aerial vehicle and surface reconnaissance data from the Sihuas River Valley pampa in southern Peru. The results suggest that these pathways and geoglyphs were closely tied, forming part of travellers’ rituals to propitiate local deities and ensure a successful journey.

The Huarhua Rock Salt Mine: Archaeological Implications of Modern Extraction Practices

This chapter uses data on recent rock salt mining in the Cotahuasi Valley of southern Peru to provide some preliminary insights into how rock salt could have been managed and controlled in earlier periods. Until a few years ago, the mine was worked by a collective of miners. Members of this collective and their family members had rights to a particular part of the mine and each group worked the mine with very little hierarchical control. The exploitation of the Cotahuasi source is reminiscent of how other salt sources have long been exploited in the Andes. Salt was considered an open access resource that was not owned by the state of surrounding communities. The infrastructural investments like pans or mines that were often needed to get the salt, however, were privately controlled.