Pachacamac and the Incas on the Coast of Peru

The process of Inca domination is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. As a result, Inca domination was adaptable, depending on specific contexts and circumstances. This chapter focuses on the center of Pachacamac and the surrounding central and southern Pacific coast, in order to highlight the methods and mechanisms through which the Incas ensured their domination. One important manifestation of this control was the establishment of a coastal network of shrines subordinated to the great oracle Pachacamac. This was accompanied by the expansion of the cult to Pachacamac under the imperial umbrella, along with the enlargement of a thriving maritime trading network. This overview also includes a reflection on the importance of religion and ideology in the Inca conquest, and the ways in in which local architecture was incorporated into the construction of religious and administrative centers like Pachacamac.