The History of the Incas: An illustrated account of the legends, myths and culture of the ancient peoples of the Andes, with over 500 photographs, maps, artworks and fine art images

The history of ancient South America focuses on stories of bloodthirsty gods, human sacrifice and the lust for gold.This book goes much deeper to reveal the truth about one of the world’s largest empires.It opens with an account of the Inca empire of the sun, from its days as a small city-state to its incredible expansion under the first great Inca leader, Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui.By the end of his reign in 1471, most of what is modern Peru and Ecuador were under Inca control, and by the time of the Spanish conquest, their empire had grown to include Bolivia, northern Chile, and parts of Argentina and Colombia.The final chapter in this section is on power and warfare, including the Moche State, the Kingdom of Chimú and the Inca Empire.The second part of the book tells the story of myth, legend, religious beliefs and rituals.The ancient belief system of the Incas grew from a desire to explain the forces of nature, and the mysteries of creation, life and death.Rituals developed, including