Reconstructing the Fragments of an Inka Imperial Economy

Kylie Quave, PhD, George Washington University

How did the Inkas organize their economy? Whose interests did the Inka economy serve and by whose labor were imperial goods produced? These questions have long been asked and answered, yet without a fuller picture from archaeological excavations in the heartland of the empire (Cusco, Peru). In this talk, Dr. Quave discusses excavations of Inka and non-Inka households in the Cusco region, as well as ongoing laboratory research. These projects focus on daily life among laborers who were partially included in the imperial economy and the daily lives of rivals to the Inkas who were largely excluded from the privileges of Inka life. Through examining their lived realities, we can challenge previous assumptions about Inka power. These results allow us to ask different questions about what makes an ancient empire relevant to humans today. 

Kylie Quave is an assistant professor of writing and of anthropology at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. As an anthropological archaeologist studying imperialism and colonialism in the Andes, she brings together excavations of rural villages with archival documents and archaeometric analysis of material culture. Her interests are in identity formation, social and economic inequalities, and incorporating pluralistic perspectives on the past. Her work has been published recently in Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, Advances in Archaeological Practice, International Journal of Historical Archaeology, and Qillqana: Revista arqueológica del Cusco.

The May 6 meeting of the Pre-Columbian Society of Washington, D.C. will be held virtually using the Zoom platform. This meeting is free and open to the public but you must be pre-registered to attend. To register click here.