Where mountaintops are found below the Earth: An archaeological and GIS analysis of the Andean megalithic fortress Sacsayhuaman, Cusco, Peru

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dc.contributor.authorHudson, Logan
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-06T15:20:52Z
dc.date.available2026-07-06T15:20:52Z
dc.date.issued2026
dc.description.abstractGeographic information systems (GIS) analysis is proving vital to the world of archaeology in unraveling how past cultures utilized different areas of their living environments. This thesis uses the capabilities of GIS analysis to infer possible sectional use of the Muyuqmarka section of UNESCO world heritage center and archaeological park of Sacsayhuaman in Cusco, Peru during its time of occupation by the Inka. Sacsayhuaman is a megalithic fortress built in stone by the Inka that was destroyed during Peru’s colonial period. By using archaeological excavation data of the potsherd assemblages collected from Sacsayhuaman, this GIS analysis demonstrates where sectional use of the site is being seen alongside insight into potential uses of these areas including places of ritual, and ceremonies involving both natural entities and the deceased. Proving the usefulness of GIS in an archaeological context and exemplifying Inka culture in Sacsayhuaman.
dc.description.scholarlevelUndergraduate
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/24040
dc.language.isoen
dc.subjectInka
dc.subjectInca
dc.subjectarchaeology
dc.subjectGIS
dc.subjectspatial analysis
dc.subjectCusco
dc.subjectPeru
dc.subjectofferings
dc.subjectpottery
dc.subjectburials
dc.subjectHuaca
dc.subject.departmentDepartment of Anthropology
dc.titleWhere mountaintops are found below the Earth: An archaeological and GIS analysis of the Andean megalithic fortress Sacsayhuaman, Cusco, Peru
dc.typeHonours thesis

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We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, and the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.