Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Andrews, Anthony

Area of Concentration

Anthropology

Abstract

The Late Intermediate Period of Peruvian history [ca 1000-1400 C.E.] saw the rise of prominent kingdoms that quickly expanded beyond their borders in the span of a century or so. Most archaeological research has been focused on the Inca Empire and the Kingdom of Chimú. The focus on these two cultures, however, has eclipsed the complexity of Andean geo-politics during the Late Intermediate Period as different groups of people fought for supremacy, control of vital trade networks, resources, and to honor their ancestors. This research paper will explore the Chanka culture [1000 to 1450 C.E.]. This was one of the eclipsed cultures that came to prominence in the Late Intermediate Period. According to the Spanish chroniclers, who wrote down the Inca myths and oral histories, the Chanka were a unified chiefdom that came close to conquering the Kingdom of Cuzco. Yet the archaeology shows us a more complex image of the Chanka. The following research will explore the historiography of the Chanka people and the archaeology of sites in Andahuaylas dating from the Middle Horizon to the early Late Horizon to infer the social and cultural changes that shaped Chanka culture.

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