Beyond Cusco: Reassessing Inca Imperial Integration Through Isotopic Provenance and Network Analysis of the Qhapaq Ñan

A groundbreaking study challenges traditional models of Inca imperial control, revealing that the Qhapaq Ñan road system facilitated complex resource mobilization and local agency beyond Cusco. By combining isotopic provenance analysis—tracking strontium and oxygen ratios in construction materials—and network analysis, researchers mapped connectivity and centrality across the empire. Findings indicate that Inca rule was not solely hierarchical but involved dynamic interactions between center and periphery, reshaping our understanding of Andean imperial integration and its enduring impact on regional economies.

Revista, Z., & HISTORY, 10. (2025). Beyond Cusco: Reassessing Inca Imperial Integration Through Isotopic Provenance and Network Analysis of the Qhapaq Ñan. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.17787501