In the land of Tawantinsuyu (The Four Parts Together) the Incas reigned in the late 15th century over the greatest empire ever seen in the independent Americas. Their territory included parts of the present-day countries of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. Yet we know little of these people, especially from firsthand written accounts.
This course introduces the Incas, a small ethnic group from the southern Peruvian highlands, who forged a civilization rich in material and culture and expanded their domain to control large expanses of territory in a short period of time through diplomacy, enculturation, and military force.
A Powerful Story and a Potent Legacy
The story of the Incas is a powerful one, and their legacy remains a potent influence in the Andes of South America. In this insightful lecture series, Columbia University professor Terence D'Altroy focuses on Inca life at the height of the empire, the society's origins, its military, religion, ruling structure, and finally, the Inca legacy today.
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"accessibly written and thorough. d'altroy's book hits all the bases and gives a solid foundation for inca studies. for those looking to know more, the source material & bibliography are still going to be invaluable."
— Heather (4 out of 5 stars)
" Gives me knowledge. Kinda boring but it is assigned reading. Wish it had more summaries at the end of each chapter because sometimes I can't remember what i have been reading. "
— Katty, 2/25/2012" Plenty of information in one condensed volume. Maybe just a bit dry, in the academic manner, but that impression is probably due to my latent attention deficiency. "
— Andrea, 2/24/2010" Decent, too bad the Incas weren't all that interesting. "
— Kevin, 3/19/2009