The Burials at Sacsahuaman and Chokepukio: A Bioarchaeological Case Study of Imperialism From the Capital of the Inca Empire

Comparison of the elite site of Sacsahuaman in the capital city of Cuzco with the site of Chokepukio, located nearby in the Lucre Basin, indicates that Inca imperial policies introduced rigid social stratification and division of labor. The results from Sacsahuaman show that elite status did not buffer individuals from diseases, particularly with regards to inflammatory reactions of the long bones. Commoner individuals from Chokepukio displayed evidence of joint disease that may reflect arduous physical labor, perhaps as a result of labor tribute requirements. By increasing stress on subject populations, Inca economic control may have impacted the health of the local populace through arthritic conditions, in turn limiting the empire's ability to maximize its return on labor-based tribute obligations. By incorporating a multidisciplinary approach, this study reveals the biological effects of administrative policies on different sectors of society under Inca rule, and the consequences of these biological impacts on imperial endeavors.