The Incas

The Inca Empire, stretched from Colombia to Argentina, was based on a rigid hierarchy, with the noble families residing in the capital, Cusco, which was the cosmic heart of the Inca worldview. The symbolic, religious world of the Incas was very complex and included veneration of a series of sacred sites, called huacas. Many such huacas were related to the celestial cycles, including towers on the horizon which were used to follow the yearly movement of the Sun, and specially prepared buildings, such as the Torreon in Machu Picchu. This last city is discussed in details, with special regard to the problem of its function and interpretation.