1001 Space Earth Nature History First Civilisations Ancient Egypt Biblical Times Ancient Greece Ancient Rome Chinese, Japanese Civilisations Indian Civilisation African Civilisation The Early Americas The Rise of Islam The Middle Ages The Renaissance Civil War and Revolution The Industrial Revolution Two World Wars 20th-century Achievements Human World Science and Technology

Who were the Incas? The Incas lived in the mountains of Peru in South America. From Cuzco, the capital, they conquered the surrounding lands and created a huge empire that lasted from about 1400 to 1533 AD. They were highly-skilled architects, engineers, and stonemasons. Machu Picchu, a city high in the mountains to the northwest of Cuzco, consisted of 300 stone buildings arranged around a central plaza; a stone aqueduct supplied it with fresh water. A network of bridges and roads linked all parts of the empire. The emperor was so powerful that his people believed he was descended from their Sun God. A settlement and roads built by the Incas   Previous: Back Book: 1001 Section: History Chapter: The Early Americas