9307784 Stanish With National Science Foundation support, Dr. Charles Stanish will continue his archaeological research in the Lake Titicaca Basin of Southern Peru. The work focuses on the Lupaqa, a prehistoric group which survived into early historic times and was described in Spanish chronicles. The Lupaqa consist of a distinct, spatially limited, regional group which maintained its identity although it was conquered by and incorporated into successive Tiwanaku and Inca empires. Building on his prior work, Dr. Stanish will expand his survey for sites and will excavate several of them. On this basis he will reconstruct how this group developed and responded to influences from the broader Andean region. Archaeologists wish to understand how large complex entities such as empires expand and maintain their control over subject populations. There is much disagreement about the extent to which direct force of arms is involved and the strategies used not only to establish but also to maintain power. Because the Lupaqa constitute such a "marginal" group and because they were consecutively incorporated into two such kingdoms they provide an excellent context in which to examine this issue. This research is important for several reasons. The basic forces which shaped Andean prehistory are evident in the world today. Many countries consist of diverse ethnic groups brought together under a strong central rule. An archaeological case such as the Lupaqa permits one to examine the interplay of central and regional forces over a long period of time. ***
