Radiocarbon Chronology of the Inca Expansion in Argentina

A. GARCÍA; R. MORALEJO; P. OCHOA

Antípoda. Revista de Antropología y Arqueología

Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de los Andes

Lugar: Bogotá; Año: 2021 vol. 42 p. 51 - 83

1900-5407

The purpose of this article is to broaden the information availableon the chronology of the Inca expansion in Collasuyu by analyzing allradiocarbon dates obtained in Argentina?s Inca sites. We evaluated and classifiedall the dates (n=178) into three different groups (G1, G2, and G3), according to thequantity and quality of contextual information, and the possibility of effectively verifying this information through published articles. The interpretationwas mainly based on the dates showing the best information regarding theorigin and context of the samples (28 of the G1, and 36 of the G2). Ourresults indicate that the Inca advance started towards the beginnings of 15thCentury AD in the northernmost part of Argentina and rapidly continuedsouthwards, probably reaching the province of Mendoza some 50 years later.This study confirms the differences between the ethnohistoric chronologyand the radiocarbon data, previously pointed out by other authors. Moreover,it suggests a sequence of at least three stages in which the Incas wouldhave incorporated the existing territories until ca. 24°, 28°, and 34° 30´ S,respectively. This is the first global study of Inca chronology in Argentina,and the first time that dates are classified to determine their level of contextinformation and reliability.