Fertility, water and rock art on the Inka imperial fringes: The valley of Mariana and Samaipata

Author(s): Sonia Alconini

Year: 2017

Summary

Samaipata was one of the largest centers of the Southeastern Inka frontier. Multifunctional in nature, it was an important advance point toward the tropical lowlands. Despite the intrusions of the Guaraní-Chiriguanos, this region witnessed complex processes of settlement reorganization. This was particularly the case of the fertile valley of Mairana, an important breadbasket of this frontier outpost. Occupied by the Mojocoya and Gray Ware archaeological cultures, their inhabitants produced complex rock artistry and participated in vibrantinterregional exchange networks. Based on a recent survey, this poster explores the occupational dynamics of this valley, and its later incorporation into the Inka imperial economy. It also discusses the importance of rock art in indigenous ritual practices associated with water and fertility.

Cite this Record

Fertility, water and rock art on the Inka imperial fringes: The valley of Mariana and Samaipata. Sonia Alconini. Presented at The 81st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Vancouver, British Columbia. 2017 ( tDAR id: 428958)

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Keywords

General
andes Frontier Inka

Geographic Keywords
South America

Spatial Coverage

min long: -93.691; min lat: -56.945 ; max long: -31.113; max lat: 18.48 ;

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 17005