An archaeological analysis of an Inka province: Pachacamac and the Ischma Nation of the central coast of Peru
Date
1999
Authors
Cornejo Guerrero, Miguel Antonio
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Abstract
An Inka province is defined archaeologically in the valleys of Lurin, Rimac and
Chillon on the Central Coast of Peru, formed from two Late Intermediate Period nations, Ischma and Collique. Ischma was a state formed around the prestige of its god and shrine, Pachacamac. Collique was an autonomous nation which controlled the valley of Chillon.
The lnka province can be mapped using settlement and funerary pattern analysis and the
distribution of the local pottery and its Inka variants. It comprised about 200,000
inhabitants, both local and foreign mitimaes, the equivalent of five guarangas, and
distributed through the pre-existing local political structure of Districts (senorios) and
Sub-districts (curacazgos), and reutilising earlier buildings. The strategy of incorporation was similar to that used in other provinces. Two types of
structure were critical, the walled compound in the lower valleys and the kallanka-plaza in
the middle valleys. Both were inserted into local settlements. The lnkas enclosed the most
important political and religious buildings to impose their administrative will. Both the
walled compound and the kallanka-plaza are architectures of power. Other Inka building
types were also used, including kanchas, ushnus, state storerooms, Temples of the Sun.
Other Inka traits, indicative of power, also characterise the most important places in the
province; these are double jambed, trapezoidal doorways and niches, particularly large
external niches, recessed parallel staircases (RPS) and the stepped fret motif.
The provincial capital was constructed adjacent to and within the sacred precinct of
Pachacamac, comprising a Sun Temple (Punchao Kancha), a plaza, ushnu and several
kanchas. Other important centres were also altered to a lesser degree. The inland
boundaries of the province were not those of the LIP. Coca fields were given to allies of
the Inkas and joined to highland provinces; Pachacamac was thus denied direct access to
coca and could only gain it through Inka systems. The Inka ritual of capacocha was
practised not only in Pachacamac at its new and old temples but also at its principal
gateways. Ethnohistorical documents show that it was also used to assist in the conquest
of the Chill on valley. The provincial social and political organization is reconstructed using settlement patterns
and irrigation canals. Both districts and sub-districts are identified using these methods.
Four hierarchical levels of settlement can be defined based on the quality and quantity of
architecture correlate the settlement pattern with the political organisation. A four tier system of social categories is developed from funerary patterns: I: Sacrificed
aqllas, both local and foreign women in the service of the Inka; II: Cusquefio orejones,
priests as well as foreign and local kurakas, who controlled production, labour services,
storage and ceremony on behalf of the Inka state; III: Mitimaes and local craftsmen; IV:
Local farmers and fishers. The latter two groups performing the bulk of the productive
labour.
The settlement hierarchy and the distribution of graves, pertaining to certain social
groups, underline a common pattern, underlining the relative importance of sites.
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