The Sunken Court Tradition in the South Central Andes

The sunken court or patio represents one of the most enduring and ritually significant architectural forms in Andean prehistory. First created in the 3rd millennium BC, the sunken court was repeatedly reworked over 3500 years by different cultures in the highlands and coast. Perhaps as significant, a number of cultures rejected the court architecture for other monumental forms of political and ritual expression. This chapter examines the sunken court tradition in the central Andes, tracing its development, elaboration, and rejection over space and time. Authors likewise will contextualize this architectural form using theories of political and ritual performance.