Abstract
The rulers of the Inka empire conquered approximately 2 million km2 of the South American Andes in just under 100 years from 1438–1533 CE. Inside the empire, the elite conducted a systematic resettlement of the many Indigenous peoples in the Andes that had been rapidly colonised. The nature of this resettlement phenomenon is recorded within the Spanish colonial ethnohistorical record. Here we have broadly characterised the resettlement policy, despite the often incomplete and conflicting details in the descriptions. We then review research from multiple disciplines that investigate the empirical reality of the Inka resettlement policy, including stable isotope analysis, intentional cranial deformation morphology, ceramic artefact chemical analyses and genetics. Further, we discuss the benefits and limitations of each discipline for investigating the resettlement policy and emphasise their collective value in an interdisciplinary characterisation of the resettlement policy.
Highlights
The Inka empire (1438–1533 CE) was the largest state that ever arose in pre-Columbian South America
The peoples that were relocated under Inka rule were divided into purposeful categories for their resettlement
Inka elite in Tawantinsuyu brought about social policies of long-range mass relocation of between a quarter and a third of peoples in order to (a) prevent rebellion of allied indigenous groups, (b) promote an economically productive and coherent society and (c) integrate the mosaic of indigenous identities into a ubiquitous Inka identity
Summary
Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences and The Environment Institute, Adelaide University, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. UCSC Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA. National Centre for Indigenous Genomics (NCIG), Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
