Spanish occupation of indigenous lands in the Puna and “Raya del Tucumán” during early colonial times

Abstract

This article focuses the colonial process of expropriation of the indigenous lands which had previously belonged to the indigenous societies in the area currently known as “Puna de Jujuy”. This study coversfrom the late XVIth century to the late XVIIth century. It is based on the study of the early land grants and their subsequent sales. The detailed description of the territory included in those land grants, with a preciseknowledge of the terrain and the early colonial toponymy, have allowed us to locate the affected areas and present a set of graphic images that are otherwise difficult to build. The analysis of the affected territoryand the historical process demonstrates the high degree of expropriation of indigenous lands and land concentration that occurred in these colonial territories.