Pre-hispanic civilisations: the inca
We soon leave the land of the Incas behind us. Their culture was our constant companion – from Argentina to Colombia, we stumbled across Inca stones.
But before we say goodbye to this empire, let’s look back at what this advanced civilisation meant for the region. And why we learn so little about it in school in Europe – except that it was great, built Machu Picchu and had a lot of gold.
Tawantinsuyu – The land of four parts
The name ‘Inca’ often stands for an entire people. In fact, the Incas were originally a small tribe in the neighbourhood of Cusco, that believed they descended from the sun god Inti. However, within just 100 years – roughly between 1438 and 1533 – they created the largest contiguous empire that ever existed on the American continent: Tawantinsuyu.
This ‘land of four parts’ stretched from what is now the southern border of Colombia to Chile and Argentina. The empire covered over 2 million square kilometres. It was characterised by a multitude of indigenous peoples, languages and landscapes – connected by a central administrative system and a gigantic road network.
They conquered areas where other impressive peoples lived, who are even less well known in Europe. The Chachapoyas in northern Peru adopted the quadrangular architectural style of the Incas, the Uros fled from the Incas to their reed islands on Lake Titicaca and in Samaipata they took over a sacred stone. The course of expansion was immense – until the Spanish conquered the entire area.
A road network that still exists today
One of the most impressive legacies of the Incas is the Qhapaq Ñan, the Royal Road System. It is estimated that it comprised more than 40 000 kilometres of roads that meandered through the Andes, along the coasts and into the jungle. Many of these roads are still passable today, some are still used by locals, others are hidden and forgotten next to modern roads.
We also came across Inca trails ourselves – in search of snakes in the cloud forest in Ecuador, we travelled through deep gorges, known as chaquiñán, which were created by centuries of walking. Of course, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is one of them. Although we didn’t walk it. Instead, we marvelled at the extremely precise architecture of the Incas in Pisac.
Unity through administration, not language
The empire was multicultural, but the Incas created a unified administration that held the empire together. In contrast to Europe, they knew no money, so no taxes were levied. However, the people had to perform hard collective labour. Especially the peasants, as the nobility and clergy had privileges. Nevertheless, they were well organised and distributed their goods and services throughout the empire so that disasters could be relieved and everyone was fed.
Quechua was made the administration’s language, although it was not spoken by everyone. However, it was so widespread that Quechua is still spoken today in many parts of the Andean region – not only is it an official language in many countries, but the number of speakers is even increasing.
Knowledge without writing
Another often overlooked detail: the Incas had no writing in the classical sense. Instead, they used so-called quipus – knotted cords – and tocapu patterns to store information, especially for administration and bookkeeping. Just how complex this system was is still being researched today.
The fact that an empire of this size and efficiency could exist without writing is a remarkable aspect – and could be one reason why the Inca Empire is often only dealt with superficially in European history lessons. The first written sources come from the conquistadors. Without written sources of their own, without chronicles from the perspective of the Incas themselves, much has only been preserved from Spanish reports – often distorted and incomplete.
The focus in European history lessons is on the fall of the Inca Empire, as the Europeans left their traces behind up until today, and not its rise.
A legacy that remains
On our journey through South America, the presence of the Incas was not always obvious – but it was constant. We continually learnt more about what ‘Inca’ actually means. We drove through the valley of the Incas’ last resistance, we walked along an old Inca trail, and we constantly saw the agricultural terraces that are still being cultivated 500 years later.
What remains is the impression of an empire that has not simply disappeared. It was defeated, yes – but it never completely dissolved. It lives on in the language, the paths, the architecture and the people.
The Inca Empire was more than Machu Picchu and gold. It was a complex and well-organised network in a huge region. For us, it was an immersion into the living history of a culture that seemed conquered and forgotten, but which still strongly characterises everyday life.