pukara

Pukara is a term from the Quechua language meaning fortress or citadel. In Andean archaeology and topography, the name Pukara is attached to a range of fortified sites and to the archaeological cultures associated with them. The spelling Pucará is common in Spanish-language sources, and variations such as Pukara or Pucará are found in different regions and periods.

Across the central Andes, many sites are called Pukara, reflecting a long tradition of hilltop or walled fortifications built for defense, administration, or ceremony. These sites often feature defensive walls, terraces, enclosures, and water management or storage facilities, and they vary widely in size from small outposts to substantial complexes. The architectural styles and construction techniques can differ between regions and cultures, but the term commonly signals a fortified or strategic function.

The concept of Pukara is also used in archaeological narratives to describe related Pre-Inca cultures that built and inhabited such fortified settlements. In scholarly literature, Pukara-related sites are sometimes grouped together as a cultural horizon or tradition preceding later Andean developments, though definitions and chronology vary by region.

Notable examples include Pucará de Tilcara, an extensive hilltop fortress in Argentina’s north, as well as several Pukara-associated sites in Peru and Bolivia. In contemporary usage, many towns and districts retain the name Pukara or Pucará, reflecting the historical and cultural significance of these fortifications in the Andes.