The Incas
The Incas were an ancient civilization that arose from Peru in the early 13th century. They were the largest empire to live in America at this time and had their main political and military base at Cuzco. The Incas inhabited a large part of the American territories which they accumulated by both peaceful and military means. These areas included parts of South America, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile and Columbia.
Architecture was a strong skill for the Inca people and this is highlighted spectacularly by the site of Machu Picchu, also known as the Lost City. This site of Inca settlement is still visited by people from all over the world today and is a testament to the level of skill that was held by the Inca engineers of this time. Despite the fact that they did not use a mortar, the stone work of these buildings fits together absolutely perfectly - so well that you could even fit a knife between the stones.
The Inca people use ceramics extensively and they used patterns extensively or motifs such as birds, cats and waves. The also made developments in medicine and successfully performed surgery on the human skull to reduce head pressure. Their use of coca leaves to reduce hunger and ease pain is still followed in the Andes region today.
The Inca people also had a very special means of recorded information using knotted string, called Quipu. It was thought that this was a form of recording numerical data, but historians now believe that this actually might have been a whole form of writing in its own regard. Every man living during the Inca time had to fight in at least one battle and so the Inca army was a large one. They had the most powerful army of the time though they did not have the aid of either iron or steel in there armour. Instead they used wood, copper, cane and bronze to make helmets and shields. They also wore an cloth 'apron' into battle with wood incorporated in the back and chest for protection.
