Radiocarbon dating suggests Inca Empire emerged decades earlier than previously thought

Andean archaeologists are developing a new chronology for the Inca Empire based on radiocarbon dating, potentially challenging the traditional timeline established in the 1940s. The existing chronology, based on colonial chronicles, dates the empire's lifespan to 94 years ending with the Spanish conquest in 1532.

New carbon dating results from the Saqsaywaman ceremonial site near Cusco indicate that remodeling began around 1400 and construction accelerated from 1418. This suggests the empire's origins predate the traditionally accepted start date of 1438.

In a related discovery at Saqsaywaman, archaeologist Abimael Choqque Torres and his team uncovered an offering of 18 bronze and copper objects, including rods and spatulas. Archaeologists suggest this find may signal a period of sudden territorial change in central Cusco, marking the inauguration of a new era through the transition from open terraces to massive stone walls.