Culture of the Inca

1. Culture of the Inca By Kenny Drost

2. History • The Inca trace all the way back to about 1200 A.D. • The Inca lived in small societies and were late bloomers for their time period. • Eventually, they conquered their neighbors and rose to become an Empire. • Lasted until 1533 when the Spaniards conquered the Incan Empire

3. Location The small villages were in modern day Peru but the Empire spread through modern day Ecuador, Bolivia, Western Argentina, and Northern Chile. Today, the remaining Inca live in the highlands of Peru, oblivious to the culture and problems of the modern world.

4. Climate Summer Winter Higher temperatures with a lot of rainfall which causes hazardous mudslides. Lasts from November to March June to August The Peruvian Highlands are dry with mild temperatures and cool nights

5. Resources • The Inca had access to a lot of stones to create buildings. • They also used gold and silver to make jewelry and statues. • They used the coca plant as an anesthetic during surgery • Wood, copper, bronze, and animal skin were used for armor and weapons • Grew crops in lowlands

6. Economic Lifestyle Agricultural The Inca grew more than 40 kinds of plants. Their main crop was and still is the potato. Different crops are/were grown at different altitudes. Traded crops with other regions. Hunting and gathering was relatively unimportant. Some domestic animals were used.

7. Causes for Decline Disease Conquest Smallpox affected a large portion of the population. It was a disease that was introduced to the Inca by the Spaniards who… -> The Spaniards conquered the Inca Empire in 1533, killing many. About 6 million Inca still live in the Andes mountains near Machu Picchu.

8. Government The Inca Empire was split into four sections with Cuzco, the capital, at the center. The King was a direct descendant of the Sun God and was called the Sapa Inca. He had a board of advisors and when he died, his son that was most fit to lead would take over. Power was passed down through blood.

9. Relationships Inca leaders would marry women from other tribes to form military alliances. Villagers were mostly endogamous and usually married within their own village. These marriages were mostly polygamous.

10. Culture The beginning of the Inca culture is shrouded in mystery because written records are not available so the only stories that are available were passed down orally. It is hard to separate reality from myth. The Inca were able to achieve their immense amount of land from invading other territories with their army. Eventually people just joined the army because they were scared of being attacked. Everyone living in the Inca Empire was not necessarily Inca, but they were all native Indians of South America. The Inca stand out because they were able to control a large amount of territory without sufficient communication technology like wheels and horses.

11. Contributions of the Inca • The Inca were most advanced in the art of architecture and science of engineering. • They had unique techniques that allowed them to create many impressive structures like Maccu Picchu.

12. Belief System Centered around the Sun. Gold represented the sun and was used exclusively by the royal family, who was descended from the Sun god. Religion heavily influenced Inca culture, the Temple of the Sun was at the center of Cuzco. Young children were sacrificed in rituals.

13. Music • Little evidence remains as to what real Inca music was like • The evidence that has been found depicts percussion and wind instruments, and no string instruments.

14. Literature • Most of what is known about the Inca is passed down orally; their spoken language is known as Quechua. • Incas did use ropes called quipu to remember information though many were destroyed when the Spaniards conquered the empire.

15. Art Architecture was the most important Inca art. Since religion was so important, many statues of gods were constructed. Cuzco had a special type of hard, polished pottery. Only a few gold and silver figurines eluded the Spaniards

16. Clothing The Inca used the wool from llamas to create clothes. Alpaca wool was much finer than llama wool. The clothing worn by royalty was spun of the finest wool and had feathers and metals attached. A breechclout was worn at age 14 to symbolize manhood. Men wore sleeveless tunics and women wore dresses.

17. Customs • Marriage was endogamous, polygamous, and polyandrous. Sometimes done for military alliances. • Royalty was put in tombs. When the Sapa Inca died, some of his wives were strangled and put into his tomb with him. • Had a holiday for each month: Fastening and Penitence, Great Ripening, Earth Ripening, Festival of the Inca, Great Cultivation, Feast of the Sun, Ploughing Month, Sowing month, Festival of the Moon, Month of crop watching, Festival of the Dead, Magnificent Festival • Year started with Magnificent Festival

18. Cuisine Many different climates meant many different foods. They developed many kinds of potatoes and made lots of stews and soups. They also ate dried meat like beef jerky. Common folk ate guinea pigs and dried fish is what fed the Inca army on its conquest.

19. Education Upper Classes General Population Taught by Amawtakuna (philosophers) Began education at age 13, finished around age 19. Learned Quechua, religion, history, government, and moral norms. Got special underwear Women got special training in spinning, weaving and cooking. Taught by parents Learned principles of farming, hunting, fishing, and stone work and religion and morality. Taught Quechua by Amawtakuna Responsible for incredible buildings.

20. Technology - Quipu were used to record information, though no one knows how. Performed successful skull surgery many times. Used coca as an anaesthetic. - All Inca had to take part in at least one war, so all men could become soldiers. They had wood, copper, and bronze weapons which helped them become the most powerful army of their time.

21. Works Cited -Faron, Louis C. "Inca." Encyclopedia Americana. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 30 May. 2012. -Morris, Craig. "Inca." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 4 June 2012. -Solís, Theodore. "Latin American Music and Dance." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 5 June 2012. -Scott, John F. "Pre-Columbian Art and Architecture." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 5 June 2012. -"Weather & Climate of Peru." USAToday Travel Tips. Web. 01 June 2012. <http://traveltips.usatoday.com/weather-climate-peru-12444.html>.