Making Indigenous Archives: The Quilcaycamayoc of Colonial Cuzco

Research challenges the traditional notion of the 'lettered city,' revealing indigenous Andean notaries (escribanos de cabildo) as pivotal figures in colonial Cuzco's archival landscape. These native writers, who documented records in Spanish under Viceroy Francisco de Toledo's ordinances, acted as intermediaries between indigenous communities and Spanish colonial bureaucracy, often serving dual roles that could both support or undermine their communities' interests. The study examines the archives created by these notaries, suggesting a possible connection to quipucamayoc, who managed Andean quipu records. By analyzing evidence from the Cuzco region, the research redefines the 'lettered city' as an inclusive urban phenomenon that extends beyond elite Spaniards.

Burns, K. (2011). Making Indigenous Archives: The Quilcaycamayoc of Colonial Cuzco. Hispanic American Historical Review, 91(4), 665–689. https://doi.org/10.1215/00182168-1416666