Measuring time, sacred space, and social place in the Inca Empire

Research reveals that the Inca Empire's rapid emergence in the 15th century AD was shaped by the collapse of earlier Andean states, particularly Wari and Tiwanaku, which had flourished between AD 500–1000. This political upheaval created a context where smaller polities, including the Quechua-speaking Inca, thrived. The study suggests that Moche culture, which dominated statecraft from the first millennium BCE to the middle of the first millennium AD, likely influenced subsequent cultures like Wari and Chimu, with indirect effects on Tiwanaku. By analyzing archaeological evidence and historical records, this research reconstructs the social and political dynamics that enabled the Inca's rise as a dominant force in Andean history.

Stanish, C. (2010). Measuring time, sacred space, and social place in the Inca Empire. The Archaeology of Measurement, 216–228. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511760822.023