The modern South American country of Peru is located on the lands of the Incas - the empire, which in the XI-XVI centuries was the largest Indian state in South America. A huge number of cultural achievements of Peru were inherited from the Inca empire, which, in turn, were given knowledge and skills from previous civilizations and neighboring peoples.
Golden sun
The Incas had a powerful cult of the sun god, and the ruler of the empire was revered as the embodiment of this deity who descended to earth. The solar cult led to the spread of gold and its products as not only jewelry, but also ritual objects.
The astronomical knowledge possessed by the Incas still looks very impressive today. The Indians observed the stars and planets, considered the Milky Way to be the main celestial object, and reckoned the time in the lunar months. Observing celestial objects gave the Incas the ability to keep track of the years.
Writing from knots
The system of transmission and storage of information in the culture of Peru during the Inca era was a nodular letter. It was called "kipu" and helped to govern a large empire. Even after the conquest of the territory of modern Peru by the conquistadors, Indian officials used the kipu for another half a century. The patterns on the ceramics, which were decorated with painting, according to scientists, also represent a kind of writing.
The architecture of the Incas, who were famous for their ability to erect buildings from the colossal size of stones of irregular shape, carefully fitted to each other, arouses no less interest among researchers. The main attractions of Peru, where you can see such structures, are the city of Machu Picchu and the fortresses of Pisac and Sacsayhuaman.
World Heritage List
The UNESCO organization has taken under its protection several objects that characterize the culture of Peru, tell about the history of the country and its past:
- Historic center of the capital of Peru. The city of Lima was founded by Spanish colonists in the first half of the 16th century. A mixture of styles and cultures has resulted in a stunning Creole-style architectural ensemble in Lima. This is the name of the architecture in which the notes of Spanish and Indian influence are guessed.
- Ruins of the Karal settlement, a city that is considered the oldest in America. Was inhabited from 2600 BC.
- The city of Cusco, founded, according to an ancient legend, by the very first Inca. Its name is translated from the language of the Indians as the Center of the World.
