The Inca Civilization

Explore the Empire

Six in-depth topics cover every side of Inca civilization. Each one opens into detailed guides and articles — every page on the site is no more than two clicks from here.

• History of the Inca Civilization

  A complete historical overview of the Inca civilization, from its legendary origins in the Cusco valley to the fall of the Neo-Inca State at Vilcabamba in 1572.

  • Origins and Founding of the Inca
  • The Rise of the Inca Empire
  • The Inca Empire at Its Height
  • Civil War and the Inca Succession
  • The Last Incas After the Conquest

• Inca Empire Geography and Administration

  Comprehensive overview of the geography of Tawantinsuyu, the four suyus, the Qhapaq Ñan road system, and the administrative organization of the Inca Empire.

  • The Four Regions of Tawantinsuyu
  • The Inca Road System (Qhapaq Ñan)
  • Inca Provinces, Administration and Power
  • Quipu and Record Keeping

• Inca Society, Culture and Daily Life

  An encyclopedic overview of Inca social hierarchy, the ayllu, family, agriculture, food, textiles, trade, music, festivals, and education in the Tahuantinsuyo.

  • The Inca Social Hierarchy
  • Family, Marriage and the Ayllu
  • Inca Food, Agriculture and Cuisine
  • Inca Textiles, Crafts and Trade
  • Inca Music, Dance and Festivals

• Inca Architecture and Engineering

  Overview of Inca architecture: ashlar masonry, mortarless construction, hydraulic works, terraces, and major sites like Cusco and Machu Picchu.

  • The Architecture of Cusco
  • Inca Stonework and Building Techniques
  • Machu Picchu and Iconic Inca Sites
  • Inca Hydraulic Engineering and Terraces
  • Inca Storage Systems: Qollqa
  • The Sacred Valley of the Incas

• Inca Religion, Mythology and Cosmology

  An overview of the religion, mythology, and cosmology of the Inca Empire, covering deities, creation myths, sacred geography, and ancestor veneration.

  • The Inca Pantheon and Major Deities
  • The Inca Creation Myth
  • Sacred Sites, Huacas and Pilgrimages
  • Mummies, Ancestors and the Cult of the Dead
  • Sacrifice, Divination and Ritual

• Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire

  The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire (1532–1572), from Pizarro's arrival through the capture of Atahualpa, the fall of Cusco, and the Neo-Inca State.

  • Arrival of the Spanish in the Inca Empire
  • The Capture and Death of Atahualpa
  • The Spanish Conquest of Peru
  • Disease, Demography, and Smallpox
  • The Last Incas and the Vilcabamba Resistance
  • The Legacy of the Spanish Conquest