Architecture and Authority: A Spatial Analysis of Power and Control at Three Spanish Colonial Silver Refineries (Puno, Peru)

Abstract

This paper examines the spatial layout of three Spanish colonial silver refineries from the western Lake Titicaca Basin of southern Peru. These sites, located approximately 15 km from the city of Puno, Peru, were operated by Indigenous laborers throughout the Middle Colonial period (AD 1600–1800). Space syntax analysis is employed to evaluate the degree of control and access across these sites, examining the location of dormitories, storage buildings, administrative patios, work areas, entrances, and exits. Using both intra- and inter-site comparisons, results indicate the presence of restricted and segregated areas at all three refineries. However, inter-site comparisons highlight the integrated nature of the smaller, more rural refineries, revealing how control of labor manifested in diverse ways at the local scale.