Who are the Incas and where did they live? Inca Empire: capital, culture, history. The Incas

03.10.2017 21:16 4068

The Incas are an Indian tribe that inhabited South America before the arrival of Europeans. They created a powerful empire with its capital in the city of Cuzco on the territory of the state of Peru. The Inca Empire was inhabited by about 12 million people, and the area extended through the lands of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile and Argentina.

The Incas managed to create a great civilization. They were well versed in mathematics, astronomy and architecture. This knowledge helped them build unusual structures and make new discoveries. The great achievement of the Inca culture, which has survived to our times, is the city of Machu Picchu, built high in the mountains. It contains various buildings and temples in which the Incas performed rituals. A water pipe was brought to the city, providing residents with water. On special terraces, peasants grew various vegetables that were used for cooking.

The Incas had their own religion. It was based on various natural phenomena. The Incas worshiped different gods. The sun god, Inti, played an important role. He was considered the progenitor of life on Earth, since the sun is a source of light and heat. The Indians considered representatives of their nobility to be direct descendants of Inti. In the city of Machu Picchu, they built a temple of the Sun, in which they observed the heavenly body.

In addition, the Incas considered sacred some rocks, which they called huaca. Ancient legends of the Indians said that celestial objects went underground during the creation of the world, and then came out through rocks and caves.

The great empire ceased to exist in 1572 after a long war with the Spaniards that lasted for many years. Abandoned cities, ancient temples, ceramic psuda and much more, reminiscent of the former greatness of the mighty Inca country, have survived to this day in memory of the Inca civilization.

Civilization of the ancient Incas

At the turn of the XIV-XV centuries. on the Pacific coast and in the northern regions of the South American continent, the first empires arose. The most significant of them was the state of the Incas. During its heyday, from 8 million to 15 million people lived here.

The term "Inca" denoted the title of the ruler of several tribes in the foothills of the Andes; this name was also worn by the tribes of the Aymara, Huallacan, Keuar, and others who lived in the Cusco Valley and spoke the Quechua language.

The Inca Empire covered an area of ​​1 million square meters. km, its length from north to south exceeded 5 thousand km. The Inca state, divided into four provinces around the city of Cusco and located in the vicinity of Lake Titicaca, included the territory of modern Bolivia, northern Chile, part of present-day Argentina, the northern part of the modern Republic of Peru and present-day Ecuador.

The supreme power in the state belonged entirely to Sapa Inca - that was the official name of the emperor. Each Sapa Inca built his own palace, richly decorated according to his taste. The best artisan jewelers made for him a new golden throne, richly adorned with precious stones, mostly emeralds. Gold in the Inca Empire was widely used in jewelry, but was not a means of payment. The Incas did without money, since one of the main principles of their life was the principle of self-sufficiency. The whole empire was a huge subsistence economy.

Religion occupied an important place in the life of the Incas. Each population group, each region had its own beliefs and cults. The most common form of religious representations was totemism - the worship of a totem - an animal, plant, stone, water, etc. with whom believers considered themselves to be related. The lands of the communities were named after deified animals. In addition, the cult of ancestors was widespread. The dead ancestors, according to the ideas of the Incas, should have contributed to the ripening of the crop, the fertility of animals and the well-being of people. Believing that the spirits of their ancestors live in caves, the Incas erected stone mounds near the caves, which, with their outlines, resembled the figures of people. The custom of mummification of the corpses of the dead is associated with the cult of ancestors. Mummies in elegant clothes, with decorations, utensils, food were buried in tombs carved into the rocks. The mummies of rulers and priests were buried especially magnificently.

The Incas erected their buildings from various types of stone - limestone, basalt, diorite and raw brick. The houses of the common people had light roofs of thatch and bundles of reeds; there were no stoves in the houses, and the smoke of the hearth came out right through the thatched roof. Temples and palaces were built especially carefully. The stones from which the walls were built were so closely fitted to each other that no binders were required during the construction of buildings. In addition, the Incas built fortresses with numerous watchtowers on the mountain slopes. The most famous of them rose above the city of Cuzco and consisted of three rows of walls 18 m high.

In their temples, the Incas worshiped a whole pantheon of gods who had strict subordination. The highest of the gods was considered Kon Tiksi Viracocha - the creator of the world and the creator of all other gods. Among those gods whom Viracocha created were: the god Inti (golden Sun) - the legendary ancestor of the ruling dynasty; the god Ilyapa - the god of weather, thunder and lightning, to whom people turned with requests for rain, for Ilyapa could make the waters of the Heavenly River flow to the earth; Inti's wife is the goddess of the moon - Mama Kilya. The Morning Star (Venus) and many other stars and constellations were also revered. In the religious ideas of the ancient Aztecs, a special position was occupied by the extremely ancient cults of the mother earth - Mama Pacha and the mother sea - Mama Kochi.

The Incas had many religious and ritual festivities associated with the agricultural calendar and the life of the ruling family. All holidays were held on the main square of Cusco - Huakapata (Sacred Terrace). Roads radiated from it, connecting the capital with the four provinces of the state. By the time the Spaniards arrived, there were three palaces in Huacapata Square. Two of them have been turned into shrines. When an Inca ruler died, his body was embalmed and the mummy left in his palace. From that time on, the palace became a sanctuary, and the new ruler built another palace for himself.

The highest achievement of Inca architecture is the ensemble of temples Koricancha (Golden Court). The main building of the ensemble was the temple of the sun god - Inti, where there was a golden image of the god, decorated with large emeralds. This image was placed in the western part, and it was illuminated by the first rays of the rising sun. The walls of the temple were completely upholstered with sheet gold. The ceiling was covered with wood carvings, the floor was covered with carpets stitched with gold threads. Windows and doors were studded with precious stones. Several chapels adjoined the temple of the Sun - in honor of thunder and lightning, rainbows, the planet Venus, and the main one - in honor of the Moon (Mother Chilia). The image of the Moon in the Inca Empire is associated with the idea of ​​a woman, a goddess. Therefore, the chapel of Mama Chilya was intended for the koim - the wife of the Inca ruler, only she had access to this chapel. Here were the mummies of the dead wives of the rulers. In the chapel of the moon, all the decoration was made of silver.

Various crafts among the Incas reached their peak. The Incas mastered mining quite early and mined copper and tin ores in mines to make bronze, from which axes, sickles, knives and other household utensils were cast. The Incas could smelt metal, knew the technique of casting, forging, chasing, soldering and riveting, and also made products using the cloisonné enamel technique. The chroniclers reported that the Inca masters made a golden cob of corn, in which the grains were golden, and the fibers surrounding the cob were made of the finest silver threads. The pinnacle of Inca jewelry was the image of the Sun God in the Sun Temple in Cusco in the form of a huge golden solar disk with a skillfully chiseled human face.

The golden wealth of the Incas reached its apogee during the reign of Huayn Capac. He orders! line the walls and roofs of their palaces and temples with sheet gold; in the royal palace there were many golden sculptures of animals. During the ceremonies 50 thousand. warriors were armed with golden weapons. A huge portable golden throne with a cape of precious feathers was placed in front of the residence palace.

All this was plundered by conquistadors from the expedition of Francisco Pissaro. The pieces of jewelry were melted down into ingots and sent to Spain. But much remains in hiding and has not yet been discovered.

According to researchers of the Inca culture, their empire died largely because of religion. First, the rite was approved by religion, in which the ruler chose a successor from among his sons. This led to an internecine war between the brothers Huascar and Atahualpa, which significantly weakened the country before the invasion of the Spanish conquistadors led by Pizarro. Secondly, there was a legend among the Incas that in the future new, unfamiliar people would rule the country, who would conquer the empire and become its sole rulers. This explains the fear and indecision of the Incas before the Spanish conquistadors.

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Inca civilization

INCA CIVILIZATION formed in the 16th century. in the regions of South America adjacent to the Pacific coast (Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, part of Argentina and Chile).
Initially, the word "Inca" meant the Indians who lived in the capital of Cuzco and spoke the Quechua language. The Spaniards called so all the peoples that were part of the state of the Incas. It was called Tawantinsuyu ("four cardinal directions") and consisted of 4 parts: Chinchasuyu (northwest), Kolyasuyu (south), Kuntisuyu (west) and Antisuyu (east). Parts were divided into provinces, and those - into districts. Each section was headed by a governor. The country was connected by a network of roads.

Inca civilization. Golden mask. 13 - beg. 14th c.

The history of the Incas is divided into 2 periods: legendary (12th c.

Inca Empire

1438) and the period of the empire (1438-1533). Their official history is largely legendary and closely intertwined with myths. In the legendary era, 7 rulers changed: Manco Capac, Sinchi Roca, Lloque Yupanqui, Mayta Capac, Capac Yupanqui, Inca Roca and Yahuar Huakak. The 8th ruler was Viracocha. His reign is a transitional period from legendary to historical history. Pachacutec, who ruled after Viracocha (from about 1438), subjugated neighboring communities and laid the foundation of a great empire.

Traditional Inca costume

The supreme power was inherited. The Sapa Inca was the supreme ruler. The closest relatives, Incas by blood, were a serious political force. The community members in Tahuantinsuyu united in tribal groups - the foundation of the political system of the empire. Temple and palace servants, settlers-colonists, artisans (coppers, tanners, jewelers, potters, priests - interpreters of the quipu knot letter) were excluded from the community system.
The basis of the economy was agriculture. Cattle breeding was developed in the highlands: llamas, alpacas, vicunas and guanacos were bred. These animals were used as pack animals (for transporting goods), their meat was used as food, and fabrics were made from wool. Root crops were grown a little lower. Maize (corn) was sown in the fertile valleys. Due to the lack of fertile land in the valleys, terraced agriculture was carried out on the slopes of the mountains.

Craftsmen mastered the cold processing of meteoric iron, made products from gold, lead, copper, and tin. Jewelry, figurines of people and animals were made from precious metals. Fabrics were considered the most valuable products; the Incas reached great heights in their production. Taxes were collected in kind. A third went to the Sapa-Inca (state), the gods and the producers themselves. Education depended on social status. Children of the nobility in special institutions studied theology, history, mathematics, geography, engineering, and economics. The children of the community members learned from their parents and the elderly.

In the era of the empire, 3 gods of the sky were considered the main ones: the god-creator of the Universe (he had many incarnations of Viracocha, etc.), the god of the Sun Inti and the god of thunder Ilyapa. The main female deity (Mama Kilya - the wife of the Sun god) was associated with the Moon. The ruling Inca was considered the incarnation of the Sun, and his wife was considered the incarnation of the Moon. Ancestors were revered (the Incas worshiped their mummies, which were kept in special rooms).
In 1532, the Spaniards, led by F. Pizarro, invaded the territory of the Incas, in 1533 they occupied Cusco and soon, using the discontent of the Indian tribes conquered by the Incas, took possession of the entire empire. The Incas conquered by the Spaniards later joined the Quechua.

Inca civilization

Quechua, the language of the Incas, has a very distant relationship with the Aymara language, which was spoken by the Indians who lived near Lake Titicaca. It is not known what language the Incas spoke before Pachacutec elevated Quechua to the rank of the state language in 1438.

Inca culture

Through a policy of conquest and migration, Quechua spread throughout the empire and is still spoken by most Peruvian Indians to this day.

Agriculture.

Initially, the population of the Inca state consisted for the most part of farmers who, if necessary, took up arms. Their daily life was subject to the agricultural cycle, and under the guidance of connoisseurs, they turned the empire into an important center for the cultivation of plants. More than half of all food consumed in the world today comes from the Andes. Among them are over 20 varieties of corn and 240 varieties of potatoes, “camote” (sweet potatoes), squash and pumpkin, various varieties of beans, cassava (from which flour was made), peppers, peanuts and quinoa (wild buckwheat). The most important agricultural crop of the Incas was the potato, which can withstand severe cold and grow at altitudes up to 4600 m above sea level. Alternately freezing and thawing potatoes, the Incas dehydrated them to such an extent that they turned them into a dry powder called “chuno” . Corn (sara) was grown at altitudes up to 4100 m above sea level. and was consumed in various forms: cheese on the cob (choklo), dried and lightly fried (kolyo), in the form of hominy (mote) and turned into an alcoholic drink (saraiyaka, or chicha). To make the latter, women chewed corn kernels and spat the pulp into a vat, where the resulting mass, under the influence of saliva enzymes, fermented and released alcohol.

In that era, all Peruvian tribes were at approximately the same technological level. The work was carried out jointly. The main tool of the farmer's labor was the taklya. , a primitive digging stick - a wooden stake with a point burned for strength.

Arable land was available, but by no means in abundance. Rains in the Andes usually fall from December to May, but dry years are not uncommon. Therefore, the Incas irrigated the land using canals, many of which testify to a high level of engineering. To protect soils from erosion, terraced agriculture was used by pre-Inca tribes, and the Incas improved this technology.

The Andean peoples practiced predominantly sedentary agriculture and rarely resorted to slash-and-burn agriculture, adopted by the Indians of Mexico and Central America, in which areas cleared of forests were sown for 1–2 years and left as soon as the soil was depleted. This is explained by the fact that the Central American Indians did not have natural fertilizers, with the exception of rotten fish and human excrement, while in Peru the farmers of the coast had huge reserves of guano, and in the mountains llama (taki) manure was used for fertilizer.

These camelids are descended from wild guanacos that were domesticated thousands of years before the arrival of the Incas. Lamas endure alpine cold and desert heat; they serve as pack animals capable of carrying up to 40 kg of cargo; they give wool for making clothes and meat - it is sometimes dried in the sun, calling it “charki”. Llamas, like camels, tend to defecate in one place, so that their dung is easy to collect to fertilize the fields. Lamas played an important role in the formation of the settled agricultural cultures of Peru.

social organization. Islew. At the base of the social pyramid of the Inca Empire was a kind of community - Ailyu. It was formed from family clans who lived together in the territory allotted to them, jointly owned land and livestock, and shared crops among themselves. Almost everyone belonged to one or another community, was born and died in it. Communities were small and large - up to the whole city. The Incas did not know individual landownership: the land could only belong to the Ailly or, later, the emperor and, as it were, was rented out to a member of the community. Every autumn there was a redistribution of land - plots increased or decreased depending on the size of the family. All agricultural work in the Isle was carried out jointly.

At the age of 20, men were supposed to marry. If the young man himself could not find a mate, a wife was chosen for him. In the lower social strata, the strictest monogamy was maintained, while the representatives of the ruling class practiced polygamy.

Some women had the opportunity to leave the ailya and improve their situation. We are talking about the “chosen ones” who, for their beauty or special talents, could be taken to Cuzco or to the provincial center, where they were taught the art of cooking, weaving or religious rituals. Dignitaries often married the “chosen ones” they liked, and some became the concubines of the Inca himself.

State of Tahuantinsuyu. The name of the Inca empire - Tahuantinsuyu - literally means "four connected cardinal points". Four roads ran out of Cuzco in different directions, and each, regardless of its length, bore the name of the part of the empire where it led. Antisuyu included all the lands east of Cusco - the Eastern Cordillera and the Amazonian selva. From here, the Incas were threatened with raids by tribes that they had not pacified. Continsuyu united the western lands, including the conquered cities of the Costa - from Chan Chan in the north to Rimak in Central Peru (the location of the current Lima) and Arequipa in the south. Collasuyu, the most extensive part of the empire, extended south from Cuzco, covering Bolivia with Lake Titicaca and parts of modern Chile and Argentina. Chinchasuyu ran north to Rumichaki. Each of these parts of the empire was ruled by an apo, related by blood to the Inca and answerable only to him.

Decimal administrative system. The social and, accordingly, the economic organization of Inca society was based, with some regional differences, on a decimal administrative-hierarchical system. The accounting unit was purik - an adult capable man who has a household and is able to pay taxes. Ten households had their own, so to speak, “brigadier” (the Incas called him pacha-kamayok), a hundred households were headed by a pacha-kuraka, a thousand by a fry (usually managing a large village), ten thousand by a provincial governor (omo-kuraka), and ten The provinces constituted a "quarter" of the empire and were ruled by the apo mentioned above. Thus, for every 10,000 households, there were 1,331 officials of various ranks.

Inca. The new emperor was usually elected by a council of members of the royal family. Direct succession to the throne was not always respected. As a rule, the emperor was chosen from the sons of the lawful wife (koya) of the deceased ruler. The Inca had one official wife with countless concubines. So, according to some estimates, Huayna Capac had about five hundred sons alone, who happened to live already under Spanish rule. His offspring, who constituted a special royal ailya, the Inca appointed to the most honorable positions. The Inca Empire was a true theocracy, since the emperor was not only the supreme ruler and priest, but also, in the eyes of the common people, a demigod. In this totalitarian state, the emperor had absolute power, limited only by customs and fear of rebellion.

5 Art of American Civilizations

Report: Inca Empire

Another great state of pre-Columbian America was the Inca Empire, or, as the Incas themselves called their country, Tahuantinsuyu or "Land of the Four Parts". The last name is due to the fact that the country was divided into four provinces: Kuntinsuyu, Colyasuyu, Antisuyu and Chinchasuyu with the capital in the city of Cusco. The foundation of the country is attributed to the legendary Inca Manco Capac. The very word "Inca" never referred to the name of the tribe, it denoted only the ruler of the state. Under his successors, the territory of the state was constantly expanding, especially when a regular army was created under Yaruar Huakak.

Conquering any state or city, the Incas resettled other tribes on their territory, due to which the national element that could lead to a liberation war disappeared. In the conquered territories, the state language of the Incas, Quechuan, was introduced on a mandatory basis, which also contributed to the unity of the vast country. The symbol of the power of the country was the city of Cusco, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, on the territory of which hundreds of palaces and temples were located. The main square in the city was Wakapata (sacred terrace), from which roads branched off to the four main provinces of the country. Palaces towered there, one of which had an area of ​​30 by 160 meters. The wealth of the Inca rulers can be judged at least by the fact that when the old Inca emperor died, his body was embalmed and placed in the palace, which from now on became a sanctuary. His successor was to build a new palace for himself. No European ruler could afford such a luxury. But most of all, the temple complex of Cusco Coricancha (golden courtyard) amazed with its splendor. Its main building was the temple of the sun god Inti, in which there were a huge number of tons of gold alone. Golden windows, doors, walls, roofs, floors, ceilings, religious objects amazed people. The center of the temple was a multi-meter disc of pure gold, symbolizing the Sun God. Near the temple there was an Intipampa courtyard (a golden field), on which there were trees made of gold, plants and herbs, deer, butterflies, shepherds, etc. Moreover, all this was done in full size and everything moved (!) With the help of the most skillful mechanisms . It was truly a miracle without equal in the world. No less pride of the empire were its roads, which are not inferior to modern highways. One of these roads was 5250 kilometers long - the longest highway in the world until the beginning of the 20th century. The roads were up to 7.5 meters wide, and in some places were located at an altitude of 5160 meters above sea level. At a certain distance from each other, inns with warehouses were built on the roads.

Stone statues of Easter Island. Chile

The Incas also had a state post office, which, you see, looks almost fantastic. Despite these magnificent achievements, the Incas did not know either the wheel or the written language. However, they had writing, but in the form of a “knot letter”: the threads in this knot denoted either gold - a yellow rope, or a soldier - red, etc. The numbers were indicated by knitting a certain number of knots. However, this did not interfere with the development of science and poetry. The life of the Incas was unthinkable without religious rites, which, like those of the Aztecs, were distinguished by incredible cruelty. The "caste" of professional priests, headed by the high priest, was responsible for the performance of the rites. The Inca gods were Inti - the God of the sun, Mama Kilya - the Goddess of the moon, Mama Pacha - the Goddess of the earth, Mama Kochi - the Goddess of the sea, and others. inordinate amount.

Relief on the Gate of the Sun at Tiahuanaco.

The Incas. Reconstruction

During each of them, thousands of people were thrown onto the altar, whose blood flowed in rivers from the altars of the insatiable gods. Moral values ​​were also trampled, reduced, in the end, to zero. Religious fanaticism and cruelty, combined with depravity, corroded from the inside, like rust, an outwardly brilliant empire. On November 15, 1532, a detachment of Spaniards-conquistadors, led by Pizarro, crossed the Andes and entered the land of the Incas. The history of the collapse of the Aztec state was completely repeated. Taking advantage of the strife that began among the Incas in the struggle for the throne, Pizarro with a small handful of people defeated the greatest empire, which soon turned into a Spanish colony.

Inca rulers:

1. Manco Capac (1150)

2. Sinchi Roca

3. Loque Yupanki

5. Capac Yupanqui

21. General characteristics of the culture of the Incas.

Inca Roca

7. Yaruar Huakak

8. Viracocha Inca

9. Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (1438-1471)

10. Tupac Inca Yupanqui (1471-1493)

11. Huayna Capac (1493-1527)

12. Huascar (1527-1530)

13. Atahualpa (1530-1532)

Like the idol on clay feet from the book of the prophet Daniel, the Inca empire looked menacing and majestic, but if we take a closer look, we will see that its foundation was, like that of the idol, clay. Built on false religion, cruelty and depravity, the Inca empire collapsed, leaving behind miserable degraded tribes of unfortunate people who do not know how to sew clothes, or shoot from a bow, or build on their own.

Truly, without God there is no future, no life itself!

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The Inca Empire existed for a relatively short time from the beginning of the 15th century. until 1532ᴦ., when the country was captured by the Spanish conquerors. The writing of the Incas is not fully deciphered. The capital was the city of Cusco, famous for its Golden Garden (perhaps the masters who created it were from the Chimu people).

The architecture is simple and unadorned. Temples, dwellings, fortresses are made of huge boulders (up to 350 tons in weight) very precisely fitted to each other, but not fastened with binding solutions (Saxahuaman fortress).

The houses had powerful stone walls and cramped interior spaces. Most of the houses have no windows and are lit through the doors. According to the descriptions of travelers, the buildings were originally decorated with wide belts of thick gold plates. The use of precious metals not as money, but as a decorative material is typical of the Incas. For example, in the Temple of the Sun in the city of Cuzco, several rooms are decorated with images of the Sun, Moon, rainbow and stars made of gold, silver and precious stones. Unlike Central America, the Incas built pyramids up to 40m high. not for temples, but for burials. Trapezoidal entrances and niches are characteristic features of Inca architecture.

Stone sculpture almost did not develop among the Incas.

The art of making and painting ceramics has been developed. It is conditionally divided into several periods. In the first period, scenes of battle, fishing, mythological scenes are depicted on the vessels. In the second period, the paintings practically disappear, but the vessels themselves turn into real sculpture. Most often, the vessels were made in the shape of a human head, sometimes conveying individual features.

Later vessels appear in the form of animals, fruits and plants.

The main food of the Incas is potatoes (including canned ones), corn, and pumpkins. The Incas cultivated coca, a narcotic plant. In the empire, there was a clear division of the population into the elite and the bulk of the inhabitants. By law, the Inca (ruler of the empire) married his sister, who became his legal wife and, as a rule, the mother of the heir. In addition to the main wife, he had a harem and could live with any of the nuns of the monasteries, as he was the incarnation of the sun god on Earth. The heir was appointed during the life of the ruler by the rite of public hair cutting. The future heir helped his father and learned management. There were 10 age groups of the population, each of which had certain rights and obligations. Group 1: infants. Group 2: children under 2 years old. Group 3: children playing. Group 4: children 9-12 years old. Group 5: teenagers 12-18 years old. Group 6: 18-25 years old - serving in the army. Group 7: 25-50 years old - married and running a household.

Group 8: 50-80 years old - old people. Group 9: 80 years and older - deaf old people. 10 group: sick.

There were no uprisings in the state. This social system provided provision for old age. In this regard, it is sometimes called ʼʼIndian socialismʼʼ. There was no money in the empire, only barter in the market. Gold is used as decoration. The army is well trained and equipped (maces with stone or metal ends). There were excellent roads and a post office. The messengers ran from parking to parking for about two kilometers, as a result of the relay race, 2000 km were overcome in 3 days. The Incas composed poems that were later written down by the Jesuits.

Inca culture

Quipu knot writing is widespread, on which you can count up to 1,000,000. Nobles studied at universities for 4 years, where she studied the Quechua language, solar religion, quipu knot writing, history and military affairs. The Incas wove dense fabrics with a density of 80x45 threads/cm (modern parachute fabric has a density of 60x30 threads/cm). Οʜᴎ did operations, incl. and craniotomy.

The last Inca was called Tupac Omaru.

Additional information.

The oldest cultures of Peru date back to the 3rd millennium BC.

Close to ᴦ. Lima there was a culture at that time, whose representatives did not know about the existence of metals, but erected clay and stone temples on artificial platforms.

The Temple of the Crossed Hands is famous. Later, this gesture-sign is found in Colombia.

culture Chavin, associated with the cult of the Jaguar was widespread at the end of II - the middle of the Ithousand. BC.

culture Nazca(mid-2nd century BC) corresponds to the valleys of the Ica, Pisco and Nazca rivers. Here was found the ʼʼwooden Stonehenge of Peruʼʼ - the sanctuary of Escuqueria. It consists of hundreds of dried mesquite trunks. The center of the composition is a square formed by 12 rows of 12 columns each. Found gigantic images in the Nazca desert. Pampa de Nasca Gallery - ϶ᴛᴏ platforms, lines, spirals, human and animal ʼʼfigurasʼʼ (geoglyphs). The head of a giant bird (length 120m) is directed to the point of sunrise on the day of the winter solstice. According to M. Stingl, the Indians buried the deceased with a triangular-shaped balloon. The deceased was placed in a wicker basket at sunset, the balloon rose above the sea and disappeared over the horizon.

culture Mochica(I-VII centuries BC) left behind the pyramids of the Sun and the Moon. In Pampa Grande. The Pyramid of the Sun has a base of 342×159 m. Gold items are unique. The legend of the existence of a golden garden has come down to us and eyewitness accounts of a room with five thousand golden butterflies, each of which weighed less than a gram and hovered in the air with slight fluctuations in the air. Butterflies were melted down by the conquerors. As a result, they received 4 kg 700 ᴦ. pure gold. Around Lake Titicaca, many chulpas were found - burial towers of rectangular and cylindrical, expanded upwards.

According to legend, the founder of the Chimu culture sailed to Peru from the north with his detachment on rafts. His name is Naimlan. ʼʼNaymʼʼ means ʼʼbirdʼʼ or ʼʼflightʼʼ. Chimu built the city of Chan Chan with an area of ​​18 square meters. km. The city is surrounded by two rows of defensive walls and is divided into 10 quarters of 450x300 m. In many respects, the customs that prevailed in the state of Chimu differed little from those of the 25th century. Incas. In the 1460s. Two cultures collided - the coastal culture of Chimu, worshiping the moon, and the mountain culture of the Incas, worshiping the Sun. The victory remained for the second. Clay reliefs depicting birds, fish, lizards, foxes, and ornaments have been preserved from the Chimu culture. Since ancient times, the supreme deity in Peru has been depicted framed by a snake arch, surrounded by predators. The arch symbolized the rainbow, the Milky Way, thunder, the firmament.

culture Olmec- one of the cultures of ancient Mexico. San Lorenzo - the capital of the Olmecs - was abandoned for unknown reasons in 900ᴦ. The second capital of the Jaguar Indians was La Venta. Huge stone heads found in La Venta.

Tribes Chol and Zelltal left in Palenque (Mexico) the famous ensemble, in which the tower of the palace, a 4-storey building, was also an observatory.

Interesting culture of the Toltecs. The Pyramid of the Morning Star in Tula (Tollan) has been preserved.

The fall of the Inca Empire - a civilization that inherited the achievements of the more ancient peoples of South America.
The fall of the Inca Empire - a civilization that inherited the achievements of the more ancient peoples of South America.

National motto: Ama llulla, ama suwa, ama qilla (Don't lie, don't steal, don't be lazy) Inca Empire, Tawantinsuyu (Tawantin Suyu, Tawantinsuyu)

Chronology

Even before the rise of the Incas to their power, several other cultures flourished in the vast Andean region. The first hunters and fishermen appeared here at least 12,000 years ago, and by 3000 BC. e. fishing villages strewn all this waterless coast. In the fertile valleys at the foot of the Andes and green oases in the desert, small rural communities arose.

Thousands of years later, larger social groups of people penetrated deep into the territory. Having overcome the high mountain peaks, they began to settle on the eastern slopes of the range, using the same irrigation methods that they had developed on the coast to irrigate their fields and harvest. Settlements sprang up around the temple complexes, and artisans produced increasingly sophisticated pottery and textiles.

Archaeologists classify the products of Andean artisans according to the time and geographical period of their distribution. For this, the term “horizons” is used to identify the main stages of stylistic uniformity, violated by some features, from the point of view of aesthetics and technology.

Early colonial period: 1532 - 1572 AD

Early horizon: 1400 - 400 AD BC.

Named after the temple center at Chavin de Huantar, located in a small northern valley on the eastern slopes of the Andes, the Chavin style, strongly associated with a powerful emerging new religion, arose around 1400 BC. e. and reached its peak of development and influence by 400 BC. e.

This religion, which is believed to have been built on the leading role of an oracle, supposedly able to foresee the future, overcome diseases and make requests to the gods, gradually spread south. By 1000 B.C. she reached the area of ​​modern Lima, and by 500 BC. - Ayacucho, located two hundred miles inland. From Chavin de Huantar, apparently, priests were sent to other communities in order to achieve the worship of deities such as this god with a rod, so named because he holds a scepter (a symbol of power) in his hands.

The Chavin people achieved significant technological progress and even made some advanced discoveries for those times. The Chavins invented the loom and experimented with various metallurgical techniques, such as welding, soldering, and making alloys of gold and silver. Their products include large metal sculptures, as well as fabrics made of dyed yarn depicting such images of the Chavin cult as a god with a grinning jaguar and other animals living in the Amazon valley.

Early Intermediate Period: 400 BC - 550 AD

Various local styles began to emerge along the southern coast of Peru. The two most characteristic features of the so-called Paracas culture, named after the Paracas peninsula, were beautiful fabrics and bottle-shaped tombs - up to 40 bodies could be placed in each room of such a crypt.

Another people, the Nazca, cultivated land in the valleys, located 200 miles south of the modern capital of Peru, Lima. By 370 B.C. the Nazca style dominated the southwest coast, leaving its most prominent mark in pottery. The Nazca are famous for their enigmatic, puzzling Nazca Lines, huge land paintings. To do this, they removed all the stones and gravel in a certain area, exposing soils that were more faded in color, after which they scattered the collected stones with gravel in heaps along its edges. Such "lines" probably had some meaning to the religion of the Nazca people.

On the northern coast of Peru around 100 B.C. a militant Moche culture arose. She extended her control over territories up to 150 miles along the coast. The Moche Indians developed a whole metallurgical complex, created monumental buildings from sun-dried raw brick (adoba), they developed their own original style, which was most reflected in vessels with realistic portraits.

Middle horizon: 550 - 900 years. AD

The chulpas burial towers, still preserved in their original form, rise on one of the mountain slopes near Lake Titicaca. The practice of burials on the territory of the empire varied greatly from one region to another, differing also on a social basis. These tombs, belonging to the local nobility, are built on stone slabs laid without mortar of the highest quality. they were built in the middle of the second millennium AD. and were badly damaged by earthquakes.

The era of big cities has arrived. On the shores of Lake Titicaca, at 12,500 feet, pyramids and mounds of stone appeared, adorned with fine stone carvings, as seen in the depiction of the god (right), believed to be a new interpretation of the old Chavin wand-wielding god. The people who built all these structures settled in this region around 100 BC. and began to build around 100 AD. city ​​of Tiahuanaco.

By 500 AD e. Tiwanakans already dominated the territory of the Southern Andes, and after five hundred years they disappeared altogether. During their hegemony, they created distant colonies, declared their lands adjacent to the shores of Lake Titicaca, and sent trade caravans of lamas along the coast.

Meanwhile, the small village of Huari, located 600 miles to the north, was gradually turning into a city. During its heyday, it had between 35,000 and 70,000 inhabitants, their homes supplied with water through an underground plumbing system.

Weaving was one of the most common occupations. The Huari people disappeared around 900 AD, but they left behind an important legacy - the concept of a centralized state and recommendations for its creation.

Late Intermediate Period (coastal): 900 - 1476 AD

Empires that collapsed one after another marked the onset of a period of internecine wars, during which small peoples, spurred on by the examples of the Huari people, tried to create their own metropolises.

Starting from the center of what once belonged to the Moi on the north coast of Peru, the Chimu gradually consolidated more than 600 miles of coastline in their new state. From a hot desert capital city of Chan Chan, well supplied with water and irrigation, with a population of 36,000, the Chimu lords ruled a strictly class-separated society in which skilled artisans were especially respected.

The Chimu Empire grew in strength, thanks to the complex irrigation system they created, as well as the conquest of neighboring cultures such as Chankei, Ika-Chinka and Sikan. The culture of Sikan can be judged by the knife for ritual ceremonies. When their culture reached its peak, the Chimú were able to decorate clothes and household items with elaborate gold patterns, creating fabrics of amazing beauty.

And so they had to enter into a struggle for power with their rivals, the Incas.

Late Intermediate Period (mountainous regions): 900 - 1476 AD

‘Huaca’ are the sacred places of the Incas.
"Kenko" - one of the largest "huaca" in the Cusco region. A semi-circular wall of smooth large stones laid in a row only emphasizes the natural monolithic limestone rock, this is the main center for religious worship in Kenko. In the cave adjacent to the wall there is an altar carved into the rock.

Descendants of a people who settled in the Cuzco Valley, located at an altitude of more than 11,000 feet above sea level, the Incas began to develop their culture only after 1200 AD, as evidenced by the jar (right). Although the capital city of Cuzco grew steadily, their power remained rather limited. Then in 1438 Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui seized the throne. Calling himself "Earth Shaker", he and his troops made a campaign across all the Andes, conquering some states, negotiating with others, trying to unite several neighboring countries into a single powerful empire. Pachacuti rebuilt Cuzco, turning the capital into a city with beautiful stone palaces and temples. His provinces were governed by numerous disciplined, well-functioning bureaucrats, who stood in defense of the interests of the state. His successor, the son of Topa Inca, who came to power in 1471, dealt such a crushing blow to the Chimu that he secured complete control over the whole of this vast region, stretching from Ecuador to the heart of Chile.

Late horizon: 1476 - 1532 AD

Having consolidated their power, the Incas achieved an unprecedented rise in culture. Armies marched along the extensive road network and trade was carried out. The art of gold forging, ceramics and weaving have reached incredible beauty and perfection. Stoneworkers created massive buildings from huge stone blocks precisely and tightly fitted to each other. The Inca nobility, represented by the statuette on the right, ruled the Andes until the death of Emperor Huayn Capac, who died of smallpox between 1525 and 1527. Soon his successor also died, leaving open the question of succession to the throne, which led to a civil war. It ended in 1532, when one of the two rival sons of Huayna Capac Atahualpa was victorious and Huáscar imprisoned.

By this time, a Spaniard named Francisco Pizarro had made his exploratory journey along the coast of the Inca Empire. Having only two hundred fighters at his disposal, he took advantage of the civil strife, the smallpox epidemic and attacked the Inca troops, captured Atahualpa himself and executed him.

Early colonial period: 1532 - 1572 AD

Pizarro and his gang of adventurers approached Cusco in 1533 and were simply amazed by the unprecedented beauty of this city. The Spaniards put Atahualpa's half-brother Manco Inca on the throne to rule the Inca empire through him.

However, Manco Inca did not become a puppet in the hands of the conquerors and soon led a popular revolt. In the end, he was forced to flee Cuzco, where Pizarro himself now ruled until he was killed in 1541 by supporters of his main rival. A year later, the viceroy arrived in Lima to rule the Andean territories as Spanish provinces.

In 1545, the Spaniards captured Manco Inca, who was still emperor to several thousand Incas, who took refuge with him in the dense jungle, where they built the city of Vilcabamba. Manco Inca was killed. His son Tupac Amaru, the last Inca emperor, tried to resist the Spanish, but it was broken when the Spanish captured his main base at Vilcabamba in 1572.

Fall of the Inca Empire.

Conquistadors have always been attracted to the sound of gold. William H. Powell, photograph by the Architect of the Capitol.

Francisco Pissarro arrived in America in 1502 in search of fortune. For seven years he served in the Caribbean, participating in military campaigns against the Indians.

In 1524, Pissarro, together with Diego de Almagro and the priest Hernando de Luque, organized an expedition to the undiscovered territories of South America. But its participants fail to find anything interesting.

In 1526, a second expedition took place, during which Pissarro exchanged gold from local residents. During this expedition, three Incas were captured by the Spaniards in order to make translators out of them. This expedition turned out to be very difficult, and illness and hunger fell to their lot.

In 1527, Pissarro entered the Inca city of Tumbes. From the locals, he learns about the large amount of gold and silver decorating gardens and temples in the depths of their lands. Realizing that military forces are needed to obtain these riches, Pissarro travels to Spain and turns to Charles V for help. He talks about the countless treasures of the Incas, which can be quite easy to get. Charles V gives Pissarro the title of governor and captain of the governor of all the lands that he manages to conquer and control.

Even before the Spanish conquest began, the Incas suffered from the arrival of Europeans on their continent. Smallpox mowed down entire families among the natives who did not have immunity to it.

Around the same time, Huayna Capaca (Sapa Inca) dies. The highest state position should go to one of the sons from the main wife. The one of the sons who, in the opinion of the monarch, could better cope with the duties was chosen. In Cuzco, the capital of the Incas, the nobility proclaims the new Sapa Inca - Huascara, which means "sweet hummingbird".

The problem was that the previous Sapa Inca spent the last years of his life in Quito. As a result, most of the court lived in Quito. The city developed into a second capital, dividing the tribal chiefs into two rival factions. The army stationed in Quito gave preference to another son of Huayna Capac - Atahualpa, which means "wild turkey" in translation. He spent most of his life next to his father on the battlefield. He was a man of sharp mind. Later, the Spaniards marveled at the speed with which he mastered the game of chess. At the same time, he was merciless, as evidenced by the fear of the courtiers to incur his wrath.

Atahualpa showed loyalty to the new Sapa Inca. But he refused to come to his brother's court, perhaps fearing that Huascar saw him as a dangerous rival. In the end, Sapa Inca demanded the presence of his brother by his side at court. Refusing the invitation, Atahualpa sent ambassadors in his place with expensive gifts. Huascar, perhaps under the influence of courtiers hostile to his brother, tortured his brother's men. After killing them, he sent his army to Quito, ordering Atahualpa to be brought to Cuzco by force. Atahualpa called his loyal warriors to arms.

The armies of Cuzco at first even managed to capture a recalcitrant brother. But he managed to escape and join his own. In the battle, Atahualpa defeated those who captured him. Huascar urgently gathers a second army and sends it to his brother. The poorly trained recruits were no match for Atahualpa's veterans, and were defeated in two days' fighting.

As a result, Atahualpa captures Huascar and triumphantly enters Cuzco, after which a brutal massacre was committed against the wives, friends and advisers of the unfortunate brother.

In 1532, Pissarro and Almagro returned to Tumbes along with 160 well-armed adventurers. On the site of the once flourishing city, they found only ruins. It suffered greatly from the epidemic, and then from the civil war. For five months, Pissarro moved along the coast, plundering imperial warehouses along the way.

As a result, Pissarro goes to the court of Atahualpa. Nine of his men, frightened by the prospect of being in mountainous terrain, turned back in Inca territory.

The Spaniards were surprised by the roads of the Incas, paved with stone slabs, with trees planted along the edges, creating a shadow, as well as canals lined with stone.

Learning about the movement of white people within his country, Atahualpa invites them to visit him. From the words of the ambassador, he understood that the Spaniards looked and were friendly. During a meeting with the ambassador, Pissarro made gifts to the monarch and talked a lot about peace.

Pissarro placed his men in an open area, in the main square of the city of Cajamarck. He sent Hernando de Soto to pay his respects to Atahualpa, so that he tried to seduce him with his offer to meet in person.

Atahualpa reproached the Spaniards for plundering his warehouses and for neglecting some of the Indians on the coast. To which the Spaniards began to praise their martial art and offered to use their services. Atahualpa agrees to pay a visit to Pissarro in Cajamarca.

During this meeting, Hernando de Soto, wanted to scare Atahualpa and almost ran over him on his horse, stopping in close proximity to him, so that drops of the saliva of the horse fell on the clothes of the Inca. But Atahualpa did not flinch. He later ordered the execution of those courtiers who showed fear.

Pissarro, following the example of Cortes, who conquered the mighty Aztec empire by kidnapping the emperor, began to prepare his ambush.

During the night, Atahualpa sent 5,000 warriors to block the road north of Cajamarca. According to the plan he developed, as he later admitted to the Spaniards, he wanted to capture Pissarro and all his warriors alive in order to sacrifice the god of the Sun - Inti, and leave their horses for breeding.

At dawn, Pissarro posted his men in the buildings around the square. The wait was agonizing for the Spaniards, as the tenfold numerical superiority of the Incas frightened and overwhelmed. Later, as one of the eyewitnesses admitted, "many Spaniards unconsciously urinated in their pants because of the horror that bound them."

Capture of Atahualpa
Duflos, Pierre, 1742-1816, engraver.

At sunset, the imperial procession approached the square. Atahualpa was carried by 80 servants on a wooden stretcher, inlaid with gold and decorated on all sides with parrot feathers. The monarch, dressed in robes with gold threads and all in jewelry, sat holding a golden shield with the heraldic image of the Sun in his hands. There were also dancers and accompanying musicians. His retinue numbered more than 5,000 soldiers (the main forces, about 80,000 soldiers, were outside the city). They all came unarmed.

In the square they saw only one Dominican monk in a cassock with a cross in one and a Bible in the other hand. The Royal Council in Spain decided that the pagans should be given the opportunity to accept Christianity voluntarily, without bloodshed, and the conquistadors decided not to violate the letter of the law. The monk explained the meaning of the Christian faith to the ruler of the Incas, and the interpreter explained to him that he was asked to accept the religion of strangers. “You say that your God accepted death,” Atahualpa replied, “but mine still lives,” he emphasized, pointing to the sun creeping beyond the horizon.

Atahualpa took in his hands the prayer book extended to him. As far as he understood, the Spaniards valued this thing in the same way as the Indians "huaca", a talisman in which the spirit of the gods was found. But this object seemed to him a toy compared to their huge stone "huaca", which the Incas worshiped, so he threw it on the ground. According to eyewitnesses, after that the monk turned to Pissarro and said to him and his people: “You can attack them after this. I forgive you all your sins in advance."

Musician with flute. This product shows us the high art of chimu in the field of metal processing with the help of techniques. Such figurines were forged in parts, which were then soldered together. The musician holds his flute in his tattooed hands.

Pissarro gave the signal to attack. Two cannons fired a volley into the crowd of Indians. Spanish horsemen, fully armed, left the buildings and attacked the unarmed Inca warriors. They were followed by the sound of trumpets infantrymen with a battle cry - "Santiago!" (the name of the saint helping, according to the Spaniards, to defeat the enemy).

It was a brutal massacre of unarmed Indians. Pissarro with difficulty pulled Atahualpa out of her. Within a few hours, 6,000 Inca warriors perished in and around Cajamarca, but not a single Spaniard was killed. Among the few wounded was Pissarro himself, who was wounded by his own soldier when he tried to break through to the royal enemy in order to capture him alive.

Many researchers tried to understand why Atahualpa made such a fatal mistake by going out to the Spaniards with unarmed soldiers. Perhaps the leader did not even consider such a variant of the course of events, when such a small detachment would try to attack his huge army. Or he believed in the speech of the Spaniards about the world.

In captivity, Atahualpa was allowed to retain all royal privileges. All his wives and servants were near him. The nobles came to him and carried out his orders. In less than a month, he learned to speak Spanish and even write a little.

Realizing that white people were attracted by gold, he decided to pay off, offering for his freedom to fill the rooms in which he was staying with gold, and also “fill the Indian hut with silver” twice. Instead of releasing Atahualpa, he signed his death warrant with such a proposal. By ordering to break all the gold in Cuzco, and delivering it to the Spaniards, he only ignited their passion for the precious metal. At the same time, fearing that his brother would be able to offer even more gold for his freedom, he ordered his execution. The Incas did not perceive gold and silver as something valuable. For them, it was just beautiful metal. They called gold "sweat of the sun" and silver "tears of the moon". For them, fabrics were valuable, as it took a lot of time to make them.

Knife for ritual ceremonies. Ritual knife Tumi with a gold handle and a silver blade and decorated with turquoise. The god Naimlap is depicted with a semicircular headdress and a pair of wings.

The Spaniards began to suspect that Atahualpa was plotting against them. This gave rise to panic fear in their ranks. Pissarro for a long time resisted the mood of his compatriots. But in the end, the panic broke his resolute attitude.

Atahualpa began to realize the inevitability of his death. His religion guaranteed him eternal life if the rite was properly performed.

At a meeting of the council, headed by Pissarro himself, it was decided to burn Atahualpa. When the Spaniards informed the leader of their decision, he burst into tears. The destruction of the body meant the deprivation of immortality.

The monk, before his death, once again tried to convert the pagan to the Christian faith. Realizing that if he converted to Christianity, he would not be burned, but strangled with a garrote (a hoop with a screw to slowly strangle the victim), he agreed to undergo an initiation ceremony, assuming that the body would be handed over to the people for mummification. But the Spaniards deceived him here too. After the chief was strangled, they burned his clothes and part of his body at the stake. The rest they buried in the ground.

Pissarro understood what benefits a local ruler under Spanish control promised him. He opted for Huayna Capac's son, Manco Inca. When the Spaniards arrived in Cuzco, they were greeted as well-wishers who restored the legitimate ruling branch of the Incas, although all the mummies were securely hidden before their appearance.

The conquistadors were not distinguished by generosity and in every possible way humiliated Manco, showing a disregard for the customs of the Incas. The worst happened when Pissarro traveled to the ocean coast to establish a new capital, Limo. He left his brothers Gonzalo and Juan in charge. Gonzalo treated Manco with undisguised contempt. Having kidnapped his beloved wife, he abused her.

The atrocities perpetrated by the Spaniards led to the fact that Manco flatly refused to cooperate and attempted to leave Cuzco. The Spaniards returned him to the capital in chains. In conclusion, they were subjected to various kinds of humiliation.
As a result, Manco persuades one of Francisco's brothers, Hernando, who had recently arrived in Cusco from Spain, to release him temporarily from prison so that he could pray in the sanctuary, for which he promised to give a golden statue depicting his father. As soon as Manco got out of Cuzco, he called on his people to revolt. The matter ended with the siege of Cuzco, which lasted almost a whole year. During this siege, there were traitors among the Indians both in Cuzco and beyond, who secretly carried food to the invaders. Among them were even relatives of Manco himself, who feared reprisal for their former support for the Europeans by the new ruler. The hopelessness of the siege became clear when reinforcements arrived from Spain. Some supporters of Manco even broke away from him, realizing that a good moment had been lost.

After the failure of the siege of Cuzco, Manco took 20,000 of his compatriots with him into the dense jungle. There they built the new city of Vilcabamba in a short time. It covered an area of ​​about two square miles and consisted of about three hundred houses and sixty monumental structures. There were convenient roads and canals.

From this city, the Incas sometimes raided the conquerors, attacking outposts. In 1572, the Spaniards decided to do away with this last stronghold, as evidence of the former power of the natives. When they reached Vilcabamba, they found only deserted ruins on the site of the city. The defenders burned it before leaving the city. The Spaniards continued the pursuit, penetrating further and further into the jungle. As a result, they captured the last leader of the Incas, Tupac Amaru. He was brought to Cusco and beheaded in the town square. Thus ended the dynasty of the Inca rulers.

The result of the fifty-year stay of the Spaniards was the reduction of the indigenous population - by three quarters. Many died from diseases brought from the Old World, and many from hard labor.

Huge amounts of gold and silver were exported to Spain. Art objects were usually melted down before export. The most beautiful products were delivered to the court of Charles V, then they were put on public display in Seville. When Charles began to lack funds for military campaigns, these outstanding works of Inca art were ordered to be melted down.

Literature:
A. Varkin, L. Zdanovich, "Secrets of Disappeared Civilizations", M. 2000.
The Incas: Lords of Gold and Heirs of Glory, translated from English by L. Kanevsky, M., Terra, 1997.

It is believed that The Incas came to the Cusco Valley, where they founded the capital of the empire, around 1200. The American archaeologist J. X. Rowe, who excavated in the Cusco region, suggested that before the first half of the 15th century. the Inca state owned only a few mountain valleys, and the countdown of the imperial period began from 1438 - the date when the ruler of the Inca state, Pachacuti Yupanqui, defeated the warlike Chunk Indians and annexed the “western part of the world” to his state. However, the Inca civilization certainly carried out expansion before the defeat of the Chunk, but it was directed mainly to the south of Cuzco.

In 1470, the Inca armies approached the capital. After a long siege, the Chimu empire fell. Many skilled artisans were resettled by the winners in their capital, Cuzco. Soon the Incas conquered other states, including them in their new empire: Chincha in the south of Peru, Cuismanca, which united the coastal valleys of the central part of the country, including the temple city of Pachacamac, the small states of Cajamarca and Sican in the north.

But the legacy of the Chimu Empire was not lost. The Inca Empire did not destroy the capital of Chan Chan and kept roads, canals, terraced fields intact, making these lands one of the most prosperous provinces. The centuries-old culture of the Indians of Peru became the basis of an ancient civilization.

From amazing wonders and treasures Inca empire Almost nothing has survived to this day. Having captured the ruler of the Incas, Ataualitu, the Spaniards demanded - and received - as a ransom for his life 7 tons of gold and about 14 tons of silver items, which were immediately melted down into ingots. After the conquistadors executed Ataualita, the Incas collected and hid the gold that remained in the temples and palaces.

The search for the missing gold continues to this day. If someday archaeologists are lucky enough to find this legendary treasury, we will undoubtedly learn about the civilization " children of the sun" a lot of new. Now the number of products of Inca masters can be counted on the fingers - these are gold and silver figurines of people and lamas, magnificent gold vessels and breast discs, as well as traditional crescent-shaped tumi knives. Combining their own technology with the traditions of the Chimu jewelers, the Inca metallurgists achieved perfection in the processing of precious metals. Spanish chroniclers recorded the story of the golden gardens that adorned the temples dedicated to the Sun. Two of them are authentically known - in the coastal city of Tumbes in the north of the empire and in the main sanctuary of Cusco, the Koricancha temple. Trees, shrubs and herbs in the gardens were made of pure gold. Golden shepherds grazed golden llamas on golden lawns, and golden corn ripened in the fields.

Architecture

The second highest achievement of the Incas can rightfully be considered architecture. The level of stone processing under the Incas surpasses the best examples of the craftsmanship of Chavin and Tiahuanaco masons. Simple, "typical" buildings were built from small stones, fastened with a clay-lime mortar - pirka. For palaces and temples, giant monoliths were used, not fastened together by any solution. The stones in such structures are held by numerous protrusions clinging to each other. An example is the famous dodecagonal stone in the wall in Cuzco, so tightly fitted to neighboring blocks that even a razor blade cannot be inserted between them.

Inca architectural style severe and ascetic; buildings overwhelm with their power. However, once many buildings were decorated with gold and silver plates, giving them a completely different look.

In the cities, the Incas used planned development. The main element of the city was the kancha - a quarter consisting of residential buildings and warehouses located around the courtyard. Each major center had a palace, barracks for soldiers, a temple of the Sun, and a "monastery" for aklya virgins consecrated to the Sun.

Great Inca Roads

All the cities of the empire were interconnected by a network excellent roads. Two main highways, to which smaller roads adjoined, connected the extreme points in the north and south of the country. One of the roads ran along the coast from Guayaquil Bay in Ecuador to the Maule River, south of modern Santiago. The mountain road, called Capac-can (Royal Way), began in the gorges north of Quito, passing through Cuzco, turned to Lake Titicaca and ended in the territory of modern Argentina. Both of these arteries, together with the secondary roads adjoining them, stretched for more than 20 thousand km. In wet places, roads were paved or filled with a waterproof mixture of maize leaves, pebbles and clay. On the arid coast, they tried to lay roads along the outcrops of hard rocks. Stone dams were erected in the swamps, equipped with drainage pipes. Poles were erected along the roads, indicating the distance to settlements. At regular intervals there were inns - tambo. The width of the canvas on the plains reached 7 m, and in the mountain gorges it was reduced to 1 m. The roads were laid in a straight line, even if this meant chiselling a tunnel or cutting down part of the mountain. The Incas built wonderful bridges, the most famous of which are suspension bridges, designed to cross mountain streams. Stone pylons were erected on each side of the gorge, thick ropes were attached to them - two served as a railing, and three supported a canvas of branches. The bridges were so strong that they withstood the Spanish conquistadors in full armor and on horseback. Local residents were charged with the duty to change the ropes once a year, as well as to repair the bridge if necessary. The largest bridge of this design across the Apurimac River was 75 m long and hung 40 m above the water.

Roads became the basis of the empire, stretching over a vast area from Ecuador in the north to Chile in the south and from the Pacific coast in the west to the eastern slopes of the Andes. The very name of the state claims to world domination. This word in the Quechua language means "four interconnected parts of the world." According to the cardinal points, there was also an administrative division: in the north was the province of Chinchasuyu, in the south - Kolyasuyu, in the west - Kontisuyu and in the east - Antisuyu.

During the reign of the most famous emperors - Tupac Yupanqui, who took the throne in 1463, and Vaino Capac (1493-1525), the state finally acquired the features of a centralized empire.

Society

At the head of the state was the emperor - Sapa-Inca, the only Inca. A census of the population of the empire was carried out and a decimal administrative system was introduced, with the help of which taxes were collected and an accurate count of subjects was kept. In the course of the reform, all hereditary leaders were replaced by appointed governors - kuraks.

The entire population of the country bore labor duties: processing state fields of maize and sweet potatoes (potatoes), maintaining state herds of llamas, military service and work in the construction of cities, roads and mines. In addition, subjects were required to pay tax in kind - in textiles and livestock.

The practice of mass migrations in the conquered territories spread widely. The Quechua language spoken by the Incas was declared the official language of the empire. The inhabitants of the provinces were not forbidden to use their native language. Compulsory knowledge of Quechua was required only from officials.

Writing

It is believed that the Incas did not create their own script. To transmit information, they had a knot letter "kipu", perfectly adapted to the needs of management and the economy. According to one of the legends, the Incas once had writing, even books, but all of them were destroyed by the reformer ruler Pachacuti, who “rewrote history”. An exception was made for only one, kept in the main sanctuary of the Koricancha empire. Robbers of the capital ancient civilization of the Incas the Spaniards discovered in Coricancha canvases covered with incomprehensible signs, inserted into golden frames. The frames, of course, were melted down and the canvases burned. Thus perished the only written history of the Inca empire.

• Karanka. The capital of the province with the inns of the local ruler, as well as the courts of the Inca, where permanent military garrisons with military leaders were located.

• It was over. Of secondary importance.

• Kocheski. Of secondary importance.

• Muliambato. Of secondary importance are yards and warehouses. Subordinated to the steward in Latacunga.
• Ambato.

• Urine. Large and numerous buildings.

• Riobamba, in the province of Puruaes.

• Kayambi.
• Theokahas. Small inns.

• Tikisambi. Main inns.

• Chan Chan, in the Chimu Valley.

• Chumbo province. Main inns. Served the Incas and rulers.

• Tumbes, inns and large warehouses, with a steward, commander, soldiers and mitimais.

• Guayaquil had a warehouse for caciques and villages.

• Tambo Blanco. Inns.

• Solana Valley. Warehouses.

• Poechos, or Maikavilka, a valley with royal palaces, large and numerous inns and warehouses.

• Chimu, a valley with large inns and pleasure houses of the Incas.

• Motupe, a valley with inns and numerous warehouses.

• Haianca, a valley with large inns and warehouses of the Incas, in which their rulers stayed.

• Guanape, valley. Warehouses and inns.

• Santa Valley. Large inns and many warehouses.

• Guambacho valley. Inns.

• Chilka, valley. There were Inca inns and warehouses in it to ensure inspection visits to the provinces of the kingdom.

• Chincha province. In the valley, the ruler of the Inca was installed and luxurious inns for kings were located, many warehouses where food and military equipment were stored.

• Ica, valley with palaces and warehouses.

• Nazca, a valley with large buildings and many warehouses.

• Chachapoyas Province. Large inns and warehouses of the Incas.

• Guancabamba, the provincial capital.

• Bombon (Pumpu), the provincial capital.

• Konchukos, province. In order to obtain enough provisions for the soldiers and servants of the Inca, inns and warehouses were located every 4 leagues, filled with everything necessary from what was available in these parts.

• Guaras, a province with inns, a large fortress, or the remains of an ancient structure that looks like a city block.

• Tarama. Large inns and warehouses of the Incas.

• Akos, a village in the province of Guamanga. Inns and warehouses.

• Picoy, inn.
• Parks, inns.

• Pucara, a settlement with Inca palaces and a temple to the Sun; and many provinces came hither with the usual tribute, to give it to the steward, who was authorized to watch over the storehouses and collect this tribute.

• Asangaro, an inn.

• Guamanga city. Large inns.

• Vilkas. Geographical center of the Empire. Provincial capital with main inns and warehouses. Inca Yupanqui ordered the construction of these inns, and his successors improved the buildings: Inca Tupac Yupanqui built for himself palaces and many warehouses, of which there were more than 700 for storing weapons, fine clothes and maize. These inns served more than 40 thousand Indians.

• Soras and Lucanas, provinces. Inca residences, inns and ordinary warehouses.

• Uramark. Inns with mitimayas.

• Andavaillas, province. Inns existed here before the arrival of the Incas.

• Apurimac, suspension bridge over the river. There were inns nearby.

• Curaguasi, an inn.

• Limatambo, inn.

• Haquihaguana, the valley had luxurious and magnificent bedrooms for the entertainment of the Inca rulers.

• Cusco. The capital of the empire. In many places of this city and around it were the main inns with warehouses of the kings of the Incas, in which the one who received the inheritance of the property celebrated his holidays.

• Pukamarca, an inn where mamacons and royal concubines lived, spinning and weaving fine clothes.
• Atun Kancha, similar to the previous one.
• Kasana, similar to the previous one.

• Yukai, a valley with a royal residence and inns.

• Quispikanche, inns on the Kolyasuyu road.

• Urkos, inns.

• Canches, inns.

• Chaca, or Atuncana, the capital of the province with large inns in the province of Canas, built on the orders of Tupac Inca Yupanqui.

• Ayavire, the capital of the province with palaces and many warehouses where taxes were collected. Built and inhabited by the Mitimai by order of the Inca Yupanqui.

• Khatunkolya. Capital of the province of Collao, with main inns and warehouses. Before the Incas, it was the capital of the ruler of Sapana.

• Chucuito, provincial capital with large inns that existed before the Incas. Came under the rule of the latter, presumably under Viracocha Inca.

• Guaki, inns.

• Tiwanaku, a small settlement with main inns. Manco Capac II, son of Wayne Capac, was born here.

• Chuquiapo Valley. Provincial capital of the same name with main inns.

• Pariah. Provincial capital with main inns and warehouses.

• Chile, province. There were also many large settlements with inns and warehouses.