Form and Decorations on Qeros and Unku

This study reveals how conquest and colonialism reshaped indigenous Andean material culture, particularly focusing on qeros (ritual drinking vessels) and unku (male tunics). By analyzing these artifacts from the Tiwanaku State (AD 400-1000) through the Spanish colonial period, researchers identified patterns of transculturation, including ritual changes, evangelization, and creolization. The comparison between the non-militaristic Tiwanaku and the militaristic Inka and Spanish states challenges assumptions about cultural assimilation in settler colonial contexts. Findings highlight how dominant polities influenced local religious artifacts and ethnic identity symbols, offering new insights into the dynamics of cultural exchange during periods of conquest.

Beaule, C. D. (2019). Form and Decorations on Qeros and Unku. Transnational Perspectives on the Conquest and Colonization of Latin America, 197–209. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429330612-16