Andean sacred mountains during the expansion of the Inca Empire: an archaeological view from north-western Argentina

Abstract

The sacralisation of mountains played an important role in the expansion of the Inca Empire into the south-central Andes during the mid-second millennium AD. Here, the authors compare archaeological material from sacralised mountains in northwestern Argentina, highlighting not just the shared attributes of high-altitude sites but also the diversity of ways in which Inca dominion over the mountains could be materialised. Focusing on Mount Inca Viejo, in the Argentine province of Salta, the authors further explore the characterisation of sacred mountains and the significance of mining and mineral acquisition as a motivator for Inca expansion.