Inca Empire

PROMPT:

The avenues in which we understand cultures from the past can be convoluted. Through doing intense research, we can see how history, archaeology, and oral histories only provide a smaller part of a larger story. For this term paper, you will choose a culture from the past to further investigate. Research online and using our college library to find out the ways in which this particular culture has been documented, paying particular attention to the DISCUSSION QUESTIONS below. Any culture chosen will need to have had some sort of archaeological intervention. You are free to choose any of the cultures we have gone over in class or find one of your own!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Introduce this past culture. Who were they? From where time period? How did they fit into the global timeline? How far did their boundaries reach?
In what ways have their history been documented (historical documents, archaeological resources, oral histories, etc). Do these research avenues complement or contrast each other? How?
What particular archaeological methods were used in the archaeological analysis of this site? Specific dating techniques? Survey? Excavation? GPR? Faunal analysis? How many archaeological sites are you discussing in your term paper to get a better understanding of this culture?
What cultural extrapolations can we make based on the archaeological resources found? Provide concrete reasons.
What are some pseudoscientific theories surrounding this particular culture? How mainstream/underground is the theor(ies)? In other words, is there a large following? What are some of the things that make these theories attractive? What are some of the ways these theories are a detriment to the understanding of the past culture? To human ingenuity?
Are there any present-day descendent communities associated with this past culture? What are their views of their ancestors? What are their views of archaeological research (for or against)?

You must search out at least 5 scholarly sources to inform your analysis paper. The video short and textbook can also be used, but they will not count toward this minimum. VisitChoosing the Right Sources for Your Paper for an overview of research best practices andScholarly Sources and How to Find Them to learn about the difference between popular and scholastic publications.