The Aztecs The Aztecs reined from 1325 A.D

to 1519 A.D At it’s greatest the Aztec city of

Tenochtitlan had a population 200,000 people

The city was 5 square miles across, and consisted of 5 islands that were connected by bridges.

Tenochtitlan was often referred to as the “Venice of the New World”, as it had markets comparable to Rome and Constantinople.

The Aztecs had apartments, markets and even hotels!

Not everyone was allowed to own art, only people of the upper class and artists(people making/selling art) could own it.

CULTURAL LIVING •The Aztec’s had easily over a hundred gods, that all served their own distinct purpose.•They made thousands of sacrifices within their 18th month cycle, anywhere from 10-20 thousand.•The person who would get sacrificed was painted as part of ritual , then get their heart cut out, and would be thrown down all the stairs of the tmeple/pyramid, and they disposed of the body by feeding to zoo animals or putting heads on display. Arts & Language•The Aztecs worked with a great dela of metal but not iron.•The language they spoke was Nahuan, which consisted of words and phrases put together.•Not everyone was allowed to own art, only people of the upper class and artists(people making/selling art) could own it.•Artist variations included workers, scribes, potters, and feather workers.

The Incas The Incans created and adorned many

items to wear as jewelry. Crowns, sandals, bangles, earrings, nose rings, necklaces and even chest aprons served as jewelry, and each used different materials that delineated important markings like social status.

The Inca jewelry was use in daily basis by the royal families, authorities of the kingdom and the Inca Ruler himself. The common citizens were using their gold and jewelry artifacts only for special celebrations and religious ceremonies. The Incas jewelry was develop from the daily use items, with applications of gold and gemstones to make it special.

One remarkable piece of Inca jewelry is the golden chest apron. It was two pieces that cover the entire thorax, join on the shoulders and tie on the sides with textiles. The chest aprons were use as an armor for the Inca warriors, made in copper with an internal layer of llama leather to protect the skin.

The Incas make necklaces from seed, gemstones, seashells, leather, braided textiles, gold and everything else that they believe that was shiny enough to decorate themselves. The Inca jewelry artisans dedicate their life to find out new ways to wear more gold. The Incas believe, more gold equal more religious, so the Inca king golden necklace was huge and heavy, for sure it wasn’t comfortable at

Incas Religion The Inca religion had two theories of religion and

divinities. The first theory is the fundamental religion and it has three levels. First the Hanan Pacha or universe, this level contains divinities like the sun, the moon, the stars, the lightning, the rain and the wind. The second level is the Kai Pacha or earth, this level contains divinities like the mountains, the rivers, the stones, the water, the animals and the plants.

The third level is the Uju Pacha or underground world that contains the death ancestors, goblins, mukis and Sacras or Inca demons. The second theory on the Inca religion has three types of divinities. First: The Pachayachachic, creator of heaven and earth, universal supreme God, the beginning and end. Second: The Inti, god creator of men and nature. Third: The Apu, spirits who live in the hills, in the environment around us, in the death mummies of Inca kings and in the Inca Pyramids.

The Inca religion had bishops call Vilcas; they travel around the kingdom to supervise the temples and the religion practice. Each Inca priest was specialize in particular divinities, like the Inticamaccuna, priest that exclusive worship the sun. The moon female priest was the Quillamamacuna, the Illapacamac for lightning and the huacamayoc for Inca pyramids. The second style of priests practice magic and predict the future. Like the Soyac using corn, the Hechecoc that use the coca leaves, just to mention a few.

They use the Huacas or Inca pyramids as centers for religious celebrations; they had hundreds around the kingdom. The Incas knew the solar calendar of 365 days, so they build 365 Huacas around Cusco, one Huaca for each day of the Inca Calendar. The Huacas were the main religious centers and the symbol of the Inca religion. So when the Spaniards try to impose the catholic religion to the Inca people, the Huacas were the first target.

Incas Culture The real name of the Inca culture is the Quechua

culture. It's important to clarify that Inca or Sapan Inca was the name of the king, the emperor or supreme authority of the kingdom. Quechua was the Incas language and based in the name of the language that they spoke; the real name of the Incas culture should be, the Quechua culture. The original way to spell Quechua was, Queswa.

The Queswa culture or Inca culture for us, born in the 1100 AD. They were a simple Inca Tribe, where everything belongs to the Inca king. Work for the kingdom was compulsory and one third of what your work produce has to be offer to the Inca king. The Inca government shares all products around the kingdom providing food to the hungry and clothing to the people that need it. They also provide health, agriculture technology, hydraulics and all necessary materials to improve the living conditions of the families that work for the Inca king.

The success of the Inca culture was because the Incas keep a reciprocity agreement with the tribes recently add to the Inca kingdom. It means the Incas respect the traditions, possessions, religion and even authorities of the conquered tribes. The tribes assume the compromise to respect the Inca Ruler as their king, adapt to the new laws and religion, and learn the Quechua language. They also have to learn new technology that would help them to defeat poverty and create a sustainable economy.

The Inca culture authorities force the people to have the doors of their homes open during the daytime. It was the method the Incas authorities use to guarantee the respect of all Inca laws and secondary laws. Even that this laws sounds terrible; the Incas try to bring a message of peace and positive example of culture. The Incas culture brings stability and security to their lives. New tribes accept the Incas preach easily because they offer immediately benefits and an interesting social evolution.

Creditshttp://traveltips.usatoday.comwww.peru-travel-confidential.com/inca

-jewelry.htmlwww.peru-travel-confidential.com/inca

-religion.htmlwww.peru-travel-confidential.com/

inca-culture.html

Machu Picchu Machu Picchu is an old Incan

settlement located almost 8,000 feet above sea level around the Cusco Region of Peru in the Andes mountains.

It is believed to be built around 1450 at the height of the Inca Empire for the emperor Pachacuti.

It is sometimes referred to as the “Lost City of the Incas” since the Spanish were never able to find it until an American Historian, Hiram Bingham discovered it in 1911.

Machu Picchu is believed to be a religious site for the Inca since it is built in sacred landscape features such as its mountains.

Machu Picchu has been considered one of the seven wonders of the world.

Almost thirty percent of the old Inca site has been restored for tourist attraction. Its about three and a half hours away from Cusco.

The city holds fountains and small pools with temples and alters cut from granite.

There are more than two-hundred structures built with beautiful well cut stone that don’t even need mortar to hold the walls in place.

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Olmec Art

Olmec Art