Imperial Inca-style pottery from Ecuador: Insights into provenance and production using INAA and ceramic petrography

Abstract

A signature element of the Inca Empire is the highly standardized assemblage of ceramic vessels found across the length and breadth of the imperial realm. The question of how such standardization was achieved has long intrigued Inca scholars and led to a growing number of investigations into the organization of imperial pottery production. The present study contributes to this body of research through a compositional analysis of Inca-style pottery recovered from various sites in Ecuador. The goal of the analysis was to gain insight into where imperial-style wares from this region were produced. The results of the study indicate that production of Inca-style vessels in the distant provinces was less regulated than in areas nearer the imperial center. This suggests that local potters may have been free to emulate imperial forms, but that certain standards of care in paste preparation may have nonetheless been followed to elevate the state-styles above local varieties.