LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Incas
built 634 days ago
By the fifteenth century after Christ, the Incas began to expand from the Cusco valley to build their empire. At the point of maximum expansion around 1500, the empire reached six of today's countries, connected by a 23,000 kilometer long road network. The short lived Inca Empire came to an end with the arrival of the conquering Spaniards in 1532. Much of the ancient technology and social structures that made this great empire possible, have disappeared over the centuries, but others like rich weaving tradition, have endured.
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The Incas were finally subdued when Tupac Amaru was executed by order of the Viceroy Francisco Toledo in 1572. The references to Picchu which can be found in 16th century documents were erased from the memory of those who played a leading role in the colonial history of Cuzco. The tax records of the Augustinian friars are the only testimony of the existence of these stones which conserve the mystery and charm of pre-Hispanic life in the region. Bingham had not seen such records.
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The Incas fought on, but the Spanish were able to rely upon native support and finally ended all resistance in 1572. They destroyed the Incan capital of Vilcabamba and executed the last emperor, Tupac Amaru. MacQuarrie covers these stories and more in vivid detail.
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The Incas' art is lost, and many scientists (and amateurs) have tried to explain how the stones were transported, cut, fitted, and lifted. Theories range from the plausible to the far-fetched (giant solar mirrors, or even demons and UFOs!).
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Unlike the Mayans and Aztecs, the Incas had not developed a written language. Nor did they develop a transportation system based on wheeled vehicles. Therefore, it is remarkable that they were able to control and administer such a large area. The Incas ruled over people from hundreds of different tribes who spoke many different languages. They maintained control by developing sophisticated ways of organizing their society, by maintaining a large army, and by inventing very advanced agricultural, building and engineering methods.
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[A]lthough they never invented writing the Incas kept records with a device called a quipu. It was a cord with strings of different thickness and colours hanging from it. Knots were tied at different positions in the strings. The colour and thickness of the strings and the positions of the knots all meant something.
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Incas