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The lands that the Inca called home were the mountain ranges of the Andes. The huge mountains that make up the range are only a part of the many challenges making an empire of the range would bring. Active volcanos are dotted throughout the mountain…

The gorgeous ruins of Machu Picchu, sitting high above the world on a ridge in the Andes Mountains, serves as a lasting reminder from the Inca that they were here. Its creation has been dated to have been in the mid-15th century AD, placing its…

As the Inca Empire grew its boundaries well throughout the Andes region, they surmounted large sums of wealth. The Incas collected large deposits of gold, created large food storages, and offered valuable gifts to gods during religious ceremonies.…

Quipu or khipu were (and still are, as they are used today in some parts of South America) the writing or recording system of the Inca, and the closest they had to a written language. They are composed of a series of knotted cords which stored…

Family was an essential part of Inca societal structures, and bonds within families were strong even outside the nuclear family structure. The Inca name for the broad family was “ayllu” and were essentially one group comprised of many smaller…

The Incan llama, as pictured above, is a 6cm by 1cm gold figurine that was presented as an offering, likely accompanied by gifts such as golden human figures and human sacrifice. The item has been hammered into shape, and represents the mark of the…

Mummification was the only way in which the Inca buried the dead. The dead were stored with various precious materials including jewelry, pottery, and textiles. The prominent dead would sometimes be removed from their tombs, these were called…

To facilitate communication throughout their expansive empire, the Inca built over 40,000 kilometers of roads and bridges winding throughout the Andes. This highway system, the Qhapaq Ñan, was primarily not for use by common citizens, and citizens…

Inca art was beautiful and useful in the peoples' everyday lives. Their art also represents the Inca history and culture. The Chimú Vessel Flute, for example, was created originally by the Chimú peoples. However, the Inca conquered them in 1470 and…

The Gateway of the Sun is a sculpture made from andesite store made into an arch with an opening shaped like a door at the base. Above the opening is a carved image of Viracocha, the Inca Creator god. There are other repeated carvings on the stone as…