Architecture and empire at late prehispanic Tarapacá viejo, northern Chile

Abstract

Imperial conquest and subsequent strategies of integration can be detected in changes to regional infrastructure, such as road systems and the architectural layout and construction techniques of provincial settlements. Located in the Tarapacá Valley of northern Chile, the site of Tarapacá Viejo underwent significant architectural remodeling when the valley was incorporated into the Inka empire in the XV century AD. This article examines (1) how Tarapacá Viejo fit into the overall network of Inka or Inka-influenced sites in northern Chile; (2) how the construction techniques and architectural layout were transformed upon conquest of the valley by the Inka; and (3) what changes and continuities characterized the Early Colonial period (AD 1,532-1,700) occupation of the site. These data provide insight into the strategies of provincial incorporation employed by the Inka in this arid and sparsely populated region and how they were shaped by pre-existing settlement patterns, infrastructure, and economic conditions