Rethinking the Inka: Community, Landscape, and Empire in the Southern Andes

Rethinking the Inka is a 2023 Book Award recipient that offers a fresh perspective on the Inka Empire through the lens of Qullasuyu, the largest of the empire's four quarters. The book explores relations between powerful local lords and their Inka rulers, the roles of nonhumans in the empire, local landscapes remade under Inka rule, and the appropriation and reinterpretation of Inka objects, infrastructure, practices, and symbols by locals.

Format: Hardback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 08 February 2022
Publisher: University of Texas Press

The Inka Empire, a captivating civilization that flourished in South America during the 15th and 16th centuries, has been given a fresh and dramatic perspective through the lens of Qullasuyu. This comprehensive volume expands the range of English-language scholarship on the Inka by presenting new and notable research on Qullasuyu, the largest of the four quarters of the empire. Spanning south from Cuzco into contemporary Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile, Qullasuyu offers a unique insight into the Inka's vast conquests.

The study of Qullasuyu unveils fresh theoretical perspectives that both complement and challenge our existing understanding of the Inka. While previous scholarship has focused on the political and economic rationales underlying state action, Rethinking the Inka takes a different approach by shifting the focus to the conquered themselves. It reassesses imperial motivations and explores the complex relationships between powerful local lords and their Inka rulers. The book's chapters, accompanied by over two hundred photographs, delve into various aspects of Inka society, including the roles of nonhumans, the transformation of local landscapes, the appropriation and reinterpretation of Inka objects, infrastructure, practices, and symbols by the locals.

Written by some of South America's leading archaeologists, Rethinking the Inka is poised to become a landmark book in the field. Its comprehensive coverage and insightful analysis shed light on the rich and complex civilization of the Inka, providing a deeper understanding of their achievements, beliefs, and cultural impact. This volume is a valuable resource for scholars, students, and anyone interested in the history and archaeology of South America.

Dimension: 279 x 216 x 36 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781477323854