Andean communities have a powerful musical tradition inherited from the . The was based on collective effort and their success outweighed the individual’s. This is the case of music in the Inca civilization, musicians joined to create music through cooperation and support. The purpose of music in this society was primarily spiritual and associated to religious rituals and wars, usually accompanied by singing that was high pitched and nasal. in South America started a process of political and cultural assimilation, a cultural transformation of a pagan society into …

According to chronicler Garcilazo de la Vega the Incas imposed a set of three laws on its citizens: “Ama Sua. Ama Llulla. Ama Quella” or “Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not be lazy”.  Inca law was based in a set of believes, customs and practices established by the Sapa Inca or his representatives. Regional leaders had the power to decide in matters of law however they would lose authority when the penalty was mutilation or death. Social stability in the was achieved by applying the laws to …

The Incas were an ancient people who in the 16th century controlled the greatest empire in the Americas.

The remote ancestors of the Incas were Stone Age hunters who crossed the Bering Strait from Asia to Alaska.

The Incas explained their origin through legends. There are two main legends: The Legend of the Ayar Brothers and the Legend of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo who emerged from the waters of in .
How long did the Inca Empire last?
The Inca Empire lasted over 100 years from approximately 1438 to 1532.

The first Inca …

The Incas were a tribe in South America formed by ethnic Quechua people also known as Amerindians. In 1400AD they were a small highland tribe, one hundred years later in early the early 16th century the Incas rose to conquer and control the largest empire ever seen in the Americas forming the great The Inca Empire extended from what today is Ecuador in the north, Chile in the South, Bolivia in the east and limited by the in the west. In less than a century the Incas conquered …

It is commonly questioned as to how the were able to develop such an exquisite architecture without the use of the wheel and modern tools. Their buildings have withstood five centuries in an earthquake prone zone and provided the foundations of many current buildings.
Inca architecture was inherited from. Archeological studies show that the reproduced and updated many buildings, especially those in the . In newly conquered territories the Incas built administrative centers using pre-existing buildings and adding new elements, such as in the Sanctuary of Pachacamac located south …

Machu Picchu was built around AD1460 by Inca Pachacuti.The Spaniards never found Machu Picchu, so unlike other cities in the Inca Civilization, it was never destroyed or changed. In 1911 Hiram Bingham, an American explorer, accidentally discovered Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas”.

The Inca society was a vertical hierarchical organization divided in four social classes. At the top of the stratum was the Sapa Inca, the most powerful person in the empire. Below was the royalty, comprised by the sons of the Sapa Inca and his close relatives. The third social class was the nobility which included royal relatives and those who attained distinction through their services such as priests and chiefs. At the bottom of the pyramidal social structure was the ayllu which included the majority of the population.
 

Ayllu workers gathering …

In 1527 Sapa Inca Huayna Capac died of smallpox, which was brought by the Spaniards from Europe and had spread from Central America to South America, weakening the empire. Ninan Cuyochi, his eldest son and heir to the throne also died of smallpox, leaving no clear successor. According to only the son of the Coya and the Sapa Inca can become the next Sapa Inca after the death of his father. Following this tradition Huascar was the next in line after his brother as he was the son of …

Interesting facts about the lost city of Machu Picchu.

It is estimated that around 1.5 million tourists visit Cusco every year, and the city of Cusco have become the main tourist attractions in Peru and one of the most visited in South America. In 1983 UNESCO declared Cusco as a World Heritage Site. The highest concentration of tourists is during the dry month of June when the celebration of the takes place.
When you travel to Cusco you should be aware of . Cusco is located at an altitude of 10,800 feet or 3,300 meters above sea …