The inka construction of space in the south: sacred landscapes, celebrations, and architectural orientation at El Shincal de Quimivil (Catamarca, Argentina)

Abstract

The areas that the Inkas annexed came to constitute a fabric made up of diverse peoples as well as different geographical settings. These territories were not only rich in exploitable resources, but were also home to a number of non-human beings (places and objects) endowed with powers that humans could make use of, known as wak?a. In this respect, as knowledge of Tawantinsuyu advances, it becomes increasingly evident that various geographical sites, such as mountains, boulders, rivers, and hillsides, had a structuring role in the fabric of the living. They were spatial landmarks conveying Andean memory and the power of ancestry, while having fundamental involvement in life in all its aspects. They took part in all sorts of political, economic, military, and even day-to-day issues, not as mere symbols of a bygone past, but rather as part of an exercise of permanent interweaving of past with present; as forms ofspirituality underlying every aspect of life.The Inkas built hundreds of settlements in their territory. However, at few of these does the relationship between architecture and the referents of a sacralized landscape manifest itself so strongly as at El Shincal de Quimivil. This site is key to understanding the rationale behind which they built settlements to assimilate spaces far from Cusco into a fabric of their own, while maintaining local elements. For example, the mountains around which urban space were structured clearly exhibit a form of appropriation, through transformations and anthropic alignments typical of Inka sacredness, while at the same time incorporating elements from ancient local cults. Several examples illustrate the ways in which ancient pre-Inka constructions were preserved, but with the addition of new features coming from Cusco.This work will describe and interpret the findings made in the mountains surrounding El Shincal, together with its architectural structures. Marks on the rocks, carved shapes, and rooms and places for libation are the empirical elements claimed as distinct forms of a sacralized landscape. Evidence of offerings and ritual commensalism have been found in some rooms. In addition, an overview of celebrations at El Shincal, which involved people from different regions, will be presented. The objective is not solely to demonstrate Inka power and control over conquered peoples, but also to interpret how space itself was assimilated and incorporated into the domination framework. This perspective, which emphasizes negotiation and alliances with local, non-human forces and the construction of spatiality revise explanations of Inka imperialism that stress the forcible imposition of rule. Celebrations and rites made up the matrix which shaped the way in which the Inkas, the local peoples, and the non-human entities interacted with one another and built their own reality.