The Oxford Handbook of the Incas

The Incas ruled the largest empire of the pre-Columbian Americas in 1532, bringing local societies into new relationships with colonists and officials. This handbook is dedicated to revealing the origins, evolution, and aftermath of the empire, using innovative multidisciplinary research from archaeology, ethnohistory, and art history. Chapters explore the negotiation and implementation of state policies and institutions, religious power, and the special statuses that staffed the state religion. The volume continues into the Colonial and later periods, exploring the effects of the Spanish conquest on the lives of the indigenous populations and the cultural continuities and discontinuities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 880 pages
Publication date: 16 December 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The Incas, who ruled the largest empire in the pre-Columbian Americas, were invaded by Spaniards in 1532. Over a century before, military campaigns had begun to expand their power across a vast Andean region, creating new relationships between local societies and colonists and officials representing the Inca state. With Cuzco as its capital, the Inca empire encompassed a diverse range of peoples from different geographic origins and cultural traditions living in the outlying provinces and frontier regions.

This handbook, brought together by an international team of established scholars and emerging researchers, is dedicated to exploring the origins, evolution, and aftermath of the Inca empire. Chapters break new ground by employing innovative multidisciplinary research from the fields of archaeology, ethnohistory, and art history. The handbook's scope is comprehensive, placing the century of Inca imperial expansion within a broader historical and archaeological context. It then delves into the imperial political economy and institutions that facilitated expansion, examining the negotiation and implementation of state policies and institutions and their impact on the communities and individuals that made up the majority of the population.

Provincial and frontier case studies explore the complexities of state-community relations, examining how policies and institutions were negotiated and implemented and their effects on the people. Several chapters also delve into the religious power in the Andes, exploring the special statuses held by individuals who staffed the state religion, maintained records, served royal households, and produced fine craft goods to support state activities.

While the Incas were defeated in 1532, the volume continues into the Colonial and later periods, exploring not only the effects of the Spanish conquest on the indigenous populations but also the cultural continuities and discontinuities. It sheds light on the ways in which the Inca empire influenced the development of subsequent societies and cultures in the Andean region.

In conclusion, this handbook provides a comprehensive and multidisciplinary exploration of the Inca empire, shedding light on its origins, evolution, and aftermath. It offers valuable insights into the complex relationships between local societies, colonists, and the Inca state, as well as the religious, political, and economic institutions that shaped the empire. By employing innovative research approaches and a broad scope, it contributes to our understanding of one of the most fascinating and influential empires in pre-Columbian history.

Weight: 1286g
Dimension: 171 x 249 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197603260