THE CHACARAS OF WAR

The book summarizes the results of the Cochabamba Archaeological Project conducted in 1995­–1997. The main goal of the project was to clarify the role of the Cochabamba valley in the Inka political economy. In the course of the field surveys 56 archaeological sites were identified. The analysis of settlement patterns revealed that most of the pre-Inka settlements were abandoned after the Inka conquest and three new settlements were established, which would clearly confirm the extensive population transfers recorded in the written sources. The state infrastructure strengthens the economic importance of the valley. On the basis of mapping and excavations of the five storage facilities we estimated the storage capacity of the 2499 storehouses and comparing this figure with other regions of the Inka Empire we found that the Cochabamba valley was one of the major storage centres of the empire.

The excavation of Incarracay, the most important Inka site of the region revealed its cultic and administrative role. Its architectural features and astronomical relations showed that building 4 was an Inka sun shrine.

On the basis of the ethnohistoric, archaeological and ethnographic data collected by us a multi-ethnic state estate was established in the Cochabamba valley by the Inka state in the 15th century in order to cultivate maize for the army defending the borders of the Inka Empire and quelling the rebellions of its population.