Status and Identity in the Imperial Andes

From the 15th to the 17th century Andean populations lived a tumultuous period of cultural contact and entanglement, resulting in a variety of interactions and negotiations between Inka, Spanish, indigenous, and African peoples. While the study of indigenous agency during Imperial Inka and Spanish periods of contact has received an increase in deserved attention (deFrance 2003; Van Buren 1993; Wernke 2007, 2013), the role of status and power in shaping colonial interactions has received less consideration. Current archaeological research in the Andes has the potential to build on existing studies of domestic life and changing foodways to better understand complex power dynamics and social dimensions. By focusing on access and incorporation of both indigenous, African, and Spanish goods, as well as their determined quality and value, archaeological studies are well positioned to develop a more nuanced and intimate picture of colonial period social dynamics, especially in regards to the daily negotiations of status and identity. Building on household studies from Spanish Florida (Deagan 1996), this session examines how indigenous and African peoples selectively incorporated or rejected Imperial goods, and how differential opportunities of access to these goods may have influenced social status, health, and relationships with imperial actors.