Inka occupation of enclosure 1- Kancha II, at El Shincal de Quimivil (Catamarca, Argentina)

The territory of the Inka once covered parts of the present-day countries of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, as their political control spread across South America’s Andean region. The site of El Shincal de Quimivil, located in the western part of the province of Catamarca in northwestern Argentina, is thought to have served as one of the most important provincial capitals within this territorial range. This article discusses evidence from excavations conducted in Enclosure 1 of the Kancha II structure, a typical Inka architectural space located at the foot of one of the site’s artificially terraced hills. The enclosure’s excavation has yielded abundant assemblages of archaeological evidence, including ceramic, botanical, faunal, and lithic materials, as well as a centrally located mortar elevated on a platform of stones. The ceramic assemblages are notable for their diversity of typological styles and a high proportion of Inka-type pottery. Faunal materials include discarded food remains, especially camelid bones, and bone projectile points. Plant macroremains identified as maize (Zea mays) and algarrobo (Prosopis sp.) were present in the archaeobotanical assemblages. In terms of architectural analysis, the use of space and the materials excavated notably set this enclosure apart from other areas studied at El Shincal de Quimivil. This unique spatial arrangement is probably directly related to festival events, where El Shincal de Quimivil would have played a central role within the dynamics of the southern Inka provinces. Enclosures such as the one discussed here may have served as lodging for visitors during large gatherings.