Skip to main content

Human Trophies in the Late Pre-Hispanic Andes

Striving for Status and Maintaining Power Among the Incas and Other Societies

  • Chapter
The Taking and Displaying of Human Body Parts as Trophies by Amerindians

Part of the book series: INTERDISCIPLINARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO ARCHAEOLOGY ((IDCA))

Abstract

Examining the taking and displaying of human trophies in the late pre-Hispanic period of Andean South America (Figure 17.1) is a challenging task because the nature of the evidence for these practices changes significantly over time. During the earlier part of this time span (ca. AD 1000–1438), the scant data available is archaeological, including osteological remains from burial contexts and iconographic elements on ceramics and other objects. In the latter part (ca. AD 1438–1532), the period of Inca imperial expansion, ethnohistorical sources are the primary means for gathering information on the taking and displaying of human trophies, and as Verano (1995:192) notes, there are few known examples of Inca trophies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 64.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Anonymous. (1987) [1534]. La conquista del Perú, llamada la Nueva Castilla. In: Crónicas Iniciales de la Conquista del Perú. A. Salas, M. Guérin and J. Moure (eds.). Pp. 89–118. Buenos Aires: Editorial Plus Ultra.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous. (1991) [ca. 1598]. The Huarochirí Manuscript: A Testament of Ancient and Colonial Andean Religion. F. Salomon and G. Urioste (trans.). Austin: University of Texas Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arguedas, José María, and Pierre Duviols. (1966). Dioses y Hombres de Huarochirí. Lima: Museo Nacional de Historia y el Insituto de Estudios Peruanos.

    Google Scholar 

  • Betanzos, Juan de. (1996) [1557]. Narrative of the Incas. R. Hamilton and D. Buchanan (trans. and eds.). Austin: University of Texas Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bravomalo de Espinoza, Aurelia. (1992). Ecuador Ancestral. Quito: Artes Gráficas Señal.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cabello Balboa, Miguel. (1945) [1586]. Obras, Vol.1. Quito: Editorial Ecuatoriana.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cieza de León, Pedro de. (1984) [1553]. La Crónica del Perú, Primera Parte. Lima: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú Fondo Editorial.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cieza de León, Pedro de. (1985) [1553]. La Crónica del Perú, Segunda parte (El Señorío de los Incas). Lima: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú Fondo Editorial.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cobo, Bernabé. (1990) [1653]. Inca Religion and Customs. R. Hamilton (trans. and ed.). Austin: University of Texas Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Estete, Miguel de. (1924) [ca. 1547]. Noticia del Perú. In: Historia de los Incas y Conquista del Perú: Cronicas de 1533 a 1552. H. Urteaga (ed.). Pp.1–71. Colección de Libros y Documentos Referentes a la Historia del Perú, 2nd Series, Volume 8. Lima: Sanmartí.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guaman Poma de Ayala, Felipe. (1936) [1615]. Nueva Corónica y Buen Gobierno. Université de Paris, Travaux et Memoires de l'Institut d'Ethnologie XXIII. Paris: Institut d'Ethnologie.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jerez, Francisco de. (1987) [1534]. Verdadura relación de la conquista del Perú y provincia del Cuzco, llamada la Nueva Castilla. In: Crónicas Iniciales de la Conquista del Perú. A. Salas, M. Guérin, and J. Moure (eds.). Pp.147–251. Buenos Aires: Editorial Plus Ultra.

    Google Scholar 

  • McIntyre, Loren. (1975). The Incredible Incas and Their Timeless Land. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mesa, Alonso de. (1940) [1572]. Información levantada por orden del Virrey Don Francisco de Toledo entre los primeros conquistadores españoles aún existentes en el Cuzco. In: Don Francisco de Toledo Supremo Organizador del Peru, Volume II. R. Levillier (ed.). Pp. 196–204. Buenos Aires: Collección de Publicaciones Historicas de la Biblioteca del Congreso Argentino.

    Google Scholar 

  • Montesinos, Fernando. (1882) [1642] Memorias Antiguas Historiales y Políticas del Perú. Madrid: Miguel Ginesta.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murúa, Martín de. (1946) [1590]. Los Orígenes de los Inkas: Crónica Sobre el Antiguo Perú. Lima: Los Pequeños Grandes Libros de Historia Americana, Serie 1, Tomo XI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murúa, Martín de. (1964) [1611–1616]. Historia General del Perú: Orígen y Descendencia de los Incas, Volume I. Madrid: Collección Joyas Bibliográficas Bibliotheca Americana Vetus.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen, Axel E. (2001). Evolución Social en Quebrada de Humahuaca (ad 700–1536). In : Historia Argentina Prehispánica. Volume 1. E. Berberián and A. Nielsen (eds.). Pp. 171–264. Córdoba, Argentina : Editorial Brujas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pachacuti Yamqui Salcamaygua, Joan de Santa Cruz. (1995) [early seventeenth century]. Relación de Antigüedades de este Reino del Perú. Carlos Araníbar (ed.). Mexico City: Fondo de Cultura Económica.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prescott, William H. (1857). History of the Conquest of Peru, with a Preliminary View of the Civilization of the Incas. Boston: Sampson Phillips.

    Google Scholar 

  • Redmond, Elsa M. (1994). Tribal and Chiefly Warfare in South America. Studies in Latin American Ethnohistory and Archaeology, Volume V. Museum of Anthropology. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowe, John H. (1946). Inca culture at the time of the Spanish Conquest. In: The Andean Civilizations. J. H. Steward (ed.). Pp. 183–330. Handbook of South American Indians, Volume 2. J. H. Steward (general ed.). Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowe, John H. (1982). Inca policies and institutions relating to the cultural unification of the empire. In: The Inca and Aztec States, 1400–1800: Anthropology and History. G. A. Collier, R. I. Rosaldo, and J. D. Wirth (eds.). Pp. 93–118. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarmiento de Gamboa, Pedro de. (1942) [1572]. Historia de los Incas. Second edition. Buenos Aires: Emecé Editores.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tello, Julio C. (1918). El Uso de las Cabezas Humanas Artificialmente Momificadas y su Representación en el Antiguo Arte Peruano. Lima: Ernesto R. Villaran.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trujillo, Diego de. (1954) [1571]. Relación del descubrimiento del reino del Perú. In: Tres Testigos de la Conquista del Perú. C. de Canilleros (ed.). Pp. 123–146. Buenos Aires: Espasa-Calpe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Uhle, Max. (1912). Los orígenes de los Incas. Actas de XVII Congreso Internacional de Americanistas. Buenos Aires: Coni Hermanos.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vega, Garcilaso de la. (1966) [1609]. Royal Commentaries of the Incas and General History of Peru. H. Livermore (trans.). Austin: University of Texas Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verano, John W. (1995). Where do they rest? the treatment of human offerings and trophies in ancient Peru. In: Tombs for the Living: Andean Mortuary Practices. T. Dillehay (ed.). Pp. 189–227. Washington, DC: Dumbarton Oaks.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2007 Springer

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

OGBURN, D.E. (2007). Human Trophies in the Late Pre-Hispanic Andes. In: CHACON, R.J., Dye, D.H. (eds) The Taking and Displaying of Human Body Parts as Trophies by Amerindians. INTERDISCIPLINARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO ARCHAEOLOGY. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-48303-0_19

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics