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John V. Murra

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description John V. Murra Overview

John V. Murra was an anthropologist and historian whose research focused on the political economy and social organization of the Inca state and other Andean societies. He developed the vertical archipelago model, which describes communities maintaining access to settlements and resources across several ecological zones rather than relying solely on local production or market exchange. His work combined ethnographic concepts with close analysis of Spanish colonial records.

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What did John V. Murra mean by the "vertical archipelago"?

Murra argued that Andean communities secured resources by maintaining settlements at multiple elevations rather than depending only on trade from one ecological zone. This gave a group access to products from high puna, temperate valleys, and lower tropical areas.

Which book best presents John Murra's ideas about the Inca economy?

His influential 1956 dissertation was later published as The Economic Organization of the Inka State. It challenged attempts to explain the Inca economy through familiar European categories alone.

Why did John Murra rely heavily on Spanish colonial records?

The Inca left no alphabetic archive comparable to European state records, so Murra used visitas and other early colonial documents to reconstruct labor and resource systems. He read those sources critically because they were produced under Spanish administration.

Was John V. Murra an archaeologist or an anthropologist?

He was primarily an anthropologist and ethnohistorian, although his work became foundational for Andean archaeology. He taught for many years at Cornell University and linked documentary evidence with archaeological questions.