ROCK ART IN SOUTHERN TAWANTINSUYU: COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF THE EASTERN AND WESTERN SIDES OF THE ANDES

Abstract

The Inca Empire extended along the Andes to its southern limit in northern central Chile and central
western Argentina. Previous research has tracked the Inca conquest and cultural influence through
ethnohistoric documents, ceramics, and architecture. The goal of this paper is to contribute a
comparative review of rock art from the Inca period, including the first compilation of Inca rock art
sites from central western Argentina. In agreement with other data, the variable concentrations of
rock art sites suggest that Tawantinsuyu’s attention was focused on the western side of the Andes,
where most research has been. It seems that the engravings were made by local, not imperial,
artists, who opted for similar rocks, techniques, and even motifs, inspired by imperial symbols but
re-interpreting them. It is probable that these symbols could have been understood in the same way
by the inhabitants of both sides of the Andes. The currently supported hypothesis is that the
engravings were done under the direction of local leaders, as part of strategies to improve their
social position in the empire.