The inca big myth

The Inca empire developed between 1400 and 1500 AD in an area which is now Peru. Before the 15th century the Andean region was populated by many different tribes of people. Under the military leadership of Pachacuti and his son Topa Inca, who were Inca emperors between 1438 and 1493, the Inca state expanded into a great empire.From a geographic point of view, the Inca empire was not a very attractive place to live. The north-western border is the coastal region of the Pacific Ocean, which is the driest desert on earth. Not a drop of rain has fallen there in over 500 years. The towering Andes Mountains begin east of the desert, with steep slopes that make agriculture a serious challenge. The Inca solved that problem by creating terraces and filling them with fertile earth brought up from the mountain valleys. To the east of the Andes, lay the vast and humid jungle of the Amazon River Basin, inhabited by fierce tribes whom the Inca never managed to conquer.

The Inca empire and culture was largely destroyed by the Spanish in the most brutal conquest seen on the American continent. Under the leadership of Fransisco Pizarro the Spanish stole over 280,000 kilograms of gold from the Inca, destroyed and prohibited all expression of native religion and culture. Yet many traditions managed to survive in the myths and culture of Peru, Ecuador and Columbia. The present-day Quechua-speaking peoples of the Andes are the descendants of the Inca. They make up almost 45 percent of the population of Peru. They live in close-knit communities and combine farming and herding with simple traditional technology. Much of the agricultural work is done cooperatively. Even though Catholicism is now the official religion in these areas, in practice it is a blend of Western and native Andean religion and culture.

Pachacuti drastically reorganized the Inca religion. He claimed to be the direct descendant of the Inca Sun God Inti, which made his people extremely obedient. Their daily work tasks almost became a religious duty. Pachacuti created a cult around himself and the sun-god Inti. Every day the emperor would wear new clothes, the old ones from the previous day had to be burned, and he would only eat from golden plates. Inca society was a theocratic society, meaning that politics and religion were completely intertwined. The Inca religion combined features of animism, fetishism, and the worship of nature gods representing forces of nature. Inca rituals included elaborate forms of divination and the sacrifice of humans and animals.  

Every Inca citizen was assigned a very strict task in life, connected to their age, gender and social position. For example children over five years of age had the responsibility of carrying water up to the fields where grown-ups were growing crops. And women older than fifty had to weave cloth for making clothes. Even the physically and mentally disabled were given daily tasks that were attuned to their capabilities. One of these tasks was chewing maize or corn and spitting it back into a big bowl. By letting this substance ferment the Inca made their own special corn beer called Chicha which they drank on festive occasions.

 

All of the individual responsibilities were recorded by bureaucrats through a system called the Quipu. It was an intricate form of communication using colored strings tied into knots. This was the Inca alternative to writing since they did not develop a written language of their own. Emperor Pachacuti also created religious holidays for his people. Six times a month the entire empire was shut down for festivities, lectures and parades. The Inca were incredible builders and architects. Their irrigation systems, palaces, temples, and fortifications can still be seen throughout the Andes. They had an efficient road system which was mainly used for government and military purposes. Couriers would carry messages in the form of knotted cords all over the empire. Unfortunately, this road network was also used by the Spanish, which greatly facilitated their conquest of the Inca Empire.

Inca culture

The Inca Empire was easily one of the most impressive civilizations to ever rise in the Americas. Beginning as a tribe roughly around the year 1200 AD, the Inca culture would flourish in the Andes Mountains, extending its reach throughout the mountains of Peru, and into the present day countries of Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile. The 1532 Battle of Cajamarca essentially marked an end to the short-lived Inca Empire, but the impact they made in that small window of time continues to be one of Peru’s most enduring attractions. From their ruins, to the Peru museums that house their artifacts, visitors can gain an appreciation of how advanced the Inca were. Their modern-day descendants, many of whom speak the Inca Quechua language and live much like their forefathers, are among the most interesting native peoples in the world, if not the friendliest. Their handcrafted wares make for some of the best Peru souvenirs, and their music inspires a most magical Andes Mountains soundtrack.

The history of the Inca begins in myth with the arrival of the first Inca king, Manco Capac, who was borne from the sun god, Inti, on an island in Lake Titicaca. Manco Capac would found the Inca Civilization in Cusco, and the city would remain the all important capital of this great civilization. 11 Inca rulers would follow Manco Capac, among them Pachacutec, who is generally credited for founding the actual Inca Empire. Pachacutec began to vastly expand the Inca Empire in and around the year 1438. By this point, the original Inca tribe had grown into pre-Columbian America’s largest empire. In Cusco, you can see ruins from the palaces that were built for the sixth and eight Inca rulers, and remnants from the reigning period of Pachacutec include the Qoricancha in Cusco, the Ollantaytambo and Pisac fortresses, and Machu Picchu. These ruins are all found in and around the Sacred Valley, which was an area of the Andes Mountains that the Inca especially revered, due in part to its beauty and its climate.

In the early 1500"s, the Inca Empire had come to cover most of civilized South America, but when the Inca ruler, Huayna Capac, died before naming a successor, his sons, Huascar and Atahualpa commenced a civil war of sorts. Also during this time, smallpox had reached the empire from Central America, and those who brought it, The Spanish Conquistadors, weren’t far behind. Francisco Pizarro, a most significant name when it comes to the history of the Incas, first reached Inca territory in the year 1526, and upon his return to Spain in 1529, he received permission from the crown to return and conquer the Inca regions. By 1532 AD, Atahualpa had succeeded in effectively conquering his brother, and his base was the northern Peru highlands city of Cajamarca. The 1532 Battle of Cajamarca, which saw Pizarro and his men overwhelm the Inca forces, is one of the most notable moments in South American history, let alone the history of the Inca. Atahualpa, who refused to convert to Christianity, was imprisoned in Cajamarca. After the Spanish seized his gold and silver, he was killed. The Inca Empire was essentially over, and Atahualpa’s brother, Manco Inca Yupanqui, made a failed attempt to re-seize Cusco in 1536. Manco Inca did manage to successfully hold off the Spanish after retreating to the Ollantaytambo fortress. His 1536 stand marks the most successful Inca defense against Spanish forces.

The Inca culture permeates Peru to the present day, and it is impossible to visit Peru and not notice how attached the country is to its Inca roots. The Inca ruins of Peru are perhaps most responsible for attracting curious visitors, most of whom come to see majestic Machu Picchu. The Sacred Valley, with the towns of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, is a place rich with Inca ruins, and the Sun Temple of Machu Picchu displays their reverence for the sun. The sun was the basis for the Inca religion, and among the top Peru festivals, Inti Raymi, is dedicated to the sun god, Inti. Inca ruins aren’t only found in and around Cusco however. In Cajamarca, you can visit Inca ruins, and in nearby Tucume Peru, you can join one of the tours that visits the Inca pyramids. According to some, the Tucume Inca pyramids comprise the most interesting excavation site in the Americas, though that designation is surely up for debate. While brushing up on the history of the Incas is a good idea before getting to Peru, you will have plenty of chances to learn all about it when you get there. Chances are you will be just as fascinated with Inca culture as are the proud Peruvians.