Imperialism in the Middle Horizon: a reprisal of the classic paradigm, Cuzco, Peru

Abstract

Traditionally, the Middle Horizon has been characterized by the presence or influence of Wari imperialism throughout ancient Peru. With lesser known areas of the Andes now being explored, this view is considered somewhat passé, monolithic, and lacking heuristic value. Although many Middle Horizon peoples may not have fallen under the rubric of direct Wari control, others certainly did, and it is this variability in degrees of administrative control across regions that is considered a classic hallmark of imperialism. With that said, Middle Horizon research in Cuzco offers a unique opportunity to study a Wari region that was under direct imperial control. Archaeological investigations of Wari Cuzco sites show that this region was not only tightly administered by the Wari heartland, but also that the control that the Wari imposed upon it endured for more than two centuries. This chapter reviews evidence for exchange between the Cuzco Wari and people in other regions towards an understanding of its highly controlled nature. It considers how Cuzco was run and why it was so important to the empire as a whole.