Inca

The Inca Empire, also known as the Tahuantinsuyu, was a Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in the Andean region of South America from around 1200 to 1533 AD. The Incas are renowned for their sophisticated political, economic, and social systems, as well as their impressive architectural achievements. The empire was centered in the highlands of modern-day Peru, with its capital, Cusco, serving as the political and administrative hub.

The Incas were skilled engineers and architects, constructing a vast network of roads, bridges, and terraces that facilitated communication and agriculture across their extensive territory. Their most famous architectural marvel is Machu Picchu, a 15th-century citadel situated high in the Andes Mountains. The Incas also developed a complex system of record-keeping using a form of knotted strings called quipu, which allowed them to maintain detailed records of their empire's administration.

The Inca society was organized into a hierarchical structure, with the Sapa Inca, or emperor, at the top. The Inca believed in a polytheistic religion, worshipping numerous deities and spirits. Their religious practices often involved human sacrifice, although the extent and nature of these rituals are subjects of ongoing debate among historians.

The Inca Empire reached its zenith under the rule of Pachacuti, who expanded the empire's territory through military conquest and diplomacy. However, the empire's decline began with the arrival of Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro in 1532. The Incas were eventually defeated, and their empire was incorporated into the Spanish colonial system. The last Inca ruler, Atahualpa, was captured and executed by the Spanish in 1533, marking the end of the Inca Empire.