Behind the Man of "Pro and Profit:" Weaving a Colonial City from the Obraje de San Marcos de Chincheros

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2021: General Sessions" session, at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

During the early Colonial period in Peru Antonio de Oré, a native of the Canary Islands, moved to Peru in hopes of finding fame and fortune. In the 1570s Oré established the obraje (textile mill) de San Marcos de Chincheros (AD C. 1570-C.1823) outside of Huamanga (Ayacucho). At the obraje the mainly indigenous workforce was forced to produce large quantities of textiles for little compensation. Through his exploitative business practices Oré was able to make substantial financial contributions to the growing city of Huamanga, through which he gained a reputation as a man “of pro and profit” (Salas 1979). Pro, because of his charitable contributions to the foundation and support of Catholic convents and churches in the city; profit, because of the wealth he amassed through his unacknowledged exploitation of indigenous communities, wildlife, and natural resources. In 2019 excavations were undertaken at the obraje de San Marcos de Chincheros. Through the preliminary analysis of artifacts from the Obraje’s workshops, dormitories, and cemetery, this paper examines the ways in which rural indigenous laborers, wildlife, and natural resources contributed to the growth of urban colonial communities.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 86th Annual Meeting, Online (2021)   •
• SAA 2021: General Sessions

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 32408