Cusco
Overview
The Cusco Valley is a region in Peru, South America that served as the core governing center for many different populations including the Wari and the Inka. Cusco was the capital of the Inka Empire, the largest pre-Columbian polity in the New World. The Inka (1438-1532 CE) conquered and ruled over a vast area encompassing parts of modern day Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. It is estimated that 40,000 Inka governed a territory including close to 10 million people.
Environment
The Cusco Valley is a whopping 3,450 meters above sea level and surrounded by mountains. Three major rivers (the Huatanay, Tullumavo, and Chunchul) come together within the Valley near the city of Cusco. To best utilize the rivers, they were canalized and rerouted to make room for the growing capital and supplement farmland with irrigation systems. These features provided reliable farming grounds as well as pastures for domesticated animals. The Inka Empire expanded beyond the Cusco Valley, including coastal, mountain, and forested environments. These areas increased the diversity of resources at the hands of the Inka.
Economy and Food Subsistence
The Inka economy required tribute from periphery settlements and newly acquired settlements in order to support the growing state. This is evident from the storage granaries (qollqa) found throughout the region. Archaeological evidence shows that primitive forms of currency as well as prestige items were exchanged within the Empire as part of their economy. The environment was well suited for agriculture and raising domesticated animals. Outside of the valley, seafood was an essential aspect of subsistence.
Technology
The Inka were very technologically advanced, despite not having a formal written language. They used quipu, a system of elaborate knot tying to indicate dates and events, ceramics, and spoken language to keep records. evident through their monumental architecture (like Machu Picchu), irrigation, arts, astronomy, and medical treatment. Inka artwork took form in the shape of highly polished metalwork, jewelry, pottery, and textiles. Trepanation is a common medical practice in the Cusco region. Its intention was to alleviate headaches and other maladies by removing a circular shaped section from the bone of the cranium. They were so advanced at this practice that it had an 83% survival rate.
Social Organization
The Inka Empire was rapidly expanding. In order to maintain a peaceful transfer of power, practices of the conquered groups were maintained and appropriated by the Inka. Because if this practice, social structures varied in the periphery settlements, while the main Inka Empire held a different social structure. The ruling elite of the Inka Empire would intermarry with elites of local settlements to aid in their integration and loyalty to the Empire.
The Inka were polytheistic, having several deities responsible for varying aspects of their existence. Each deity even had a correlate to a celestial body, and many temples were built with this in mind. Aside from formal temples, gods, spirits, and ancestors could manifest themselves at various natural formations like mountain peaks, springs, and peculiar shaped stones. Huacas (similar to shrines) would be built at these areas to accentuate natural features of these sacred areas. Offerings and sacrifices of llamas and guinea pigs were left at these locations. Humans, including children, were also sacrificed, especially at times of crisis, and also after victory in war. After death, many were placed in tombs, mausoleums, or sacred caves and were brought precious goods and food. For more prominent community members, mummification was a common practice.