Empire of the Incas (Great Empires of the Past (Library))

Though the Incas left no written records of their great civilization, the archaeological remains and accounts of Spanish conquistadors and priests paint a picture of a well-ordered, vast empire. In the mountains of Peru and Ecuador, traces of Inca culture remain today in the road system that winds through the Andes, where people practice a religion that mixes the Catholicism of the Spanish conquerors with the animism of the Inca. Living in small homes and storehouses that date back to Inca times, these people have been celebrating traditional festivals and market days for more than 800 years. Using accessible and lively prose, "Empire of the Inca, Revised Edition" explores the history and culture of this fascinating civilization, highlighting the ideas and items that originated in the empire and are still encountered in the modern world, such as potatoes and jerky, words from the Quechua language, and mobile military field hospitals.