Dissertation Research: Structure and Dynamics of the Inka Frontier

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Under the direction of Dr. Marc Bermann, MS Sonia Alconini will collect data for her doctoral dissertation. She will conduct six months of archaeological survey and excavation in the Chaco region of eastern Bolivia. This area marks the western edge of the Amazonian lowland rain forest and the start of higher ground which leads to the Andes. It also marks the boundary of the Inka empire. The Inka were a highland people who extended their influence through most of the Andean Mountain chain and westward to the desertic Pacific coastal margin. However they were not able to conquer lowland Amazonian peoples and the Chaco marks the border between these groups. Through archaeological evidence and early Spanish chronicles anthropologists have learned much about how the Inka empire was governed. Much power was exercised indirectly and previous local rulers were allowed to retain immediate control. However less is understood about what happened at the boundaries of the empire and several models have been proposed. One envisions a military situation with forts and other fortified strong points and interaction of a hostile nature across the frontier. Others see various kinds of exchange and acculturation and movement of goods and people across cultural groups. Through a program of survey and excavation MS Alconini will examine this question. Inkan sites are known to exist in the Chaco and two have been selected for study. Surface collection and limited excavation will be conducted. In particular the presence and nature of fortifications will be noted and the presence/absence of trade goods indicative of exchange will be determined. Survey in the areas surrounding each site should yield additional information on the nature of settlement and the types of groups present. This research is important for several reasons. It will shed new light on the nature of inter-cultural interactions and boundaries between ethnic groups. It will provide basic data of widespread interest from a poorly known archaeological region and will assist in training a promising young archaeologist.