How to Build a Drum-Shaped House: A Replicative Experiment in Ancestral Architecture (Cusco, Peru)

Earle J.E.; Reyes Sevilla N.; Chihui Mendoza F.; Huaraca Marca C.; Verónica Tillca N.; Tillca Ccaita F. · Ethnoarchaeology (2025) · DOI: 10.1080/19442890.2025.2575250

Resumen

Studies of late prehispanic architecture in the Andes have generally focused on rectangular and circular structures associated with the Inka Empire. Meanwhile, the architecture of non-Inka populations spans a remarkable diversity of non-orthogonal structures, implicating varied roof designs and construction techniques. This study addresses a gap in knowledge on architectural traditions through collaboration with the community of Huama (Lamay District). Specifically, the replicative construction of a wankar wasi (drum-shaped house) presented herein draws on traditional knowledge developed in Huama over the course of many generations. We also applied Mobile Laser Scanning to visualize and analyze the resultant structure. These data facilitate analogy between contemporary practices and the archaeological record to understand the materials, knowledge, and relationships engaged by prehispanic builders, with the objective of reconstructing local cooperation and resilience of under state occupation. Moreover, this research celebrates local heritage while illuminating the technological choices implicated in construction, past and present.