The Nazca Civilization In Southwest Peru

Steven J. Stern’s text, Peru’s Indian Peoples and the Challenge of Spanish Conquest, highlights from beginning to end Spain’s conquest of the Andean people while articulating the transformation of the relationship between these two peoples. He illustrates how Spain’s efforts toward colonialism of the Andes, transformed the natives from a self-sufficient group of people into an oppressed caste system known as “Indians.” Additionally, he introduces the idea that the Spanish needed to break the indigenous and gain their favor in order successfully establish dominance over them and their land. While arguing this, he offers several facts, which contradict the black legend associated with the Spanish and their means of conquest.

Unlike Moche, Nazca ceramics are much more detailed and decorative. At this point they were using up to fifteen pigments and thirteen colors on one single vase. The Nazca were divided into valleys and in each the village they had their very own priest/ religious leader who also lived in the large structure (most likely pyramids) which were made of adobe along with other elites. Nazca artifacts indicate that their religious beliefs are greatly centered on the worship of multiple gods in the hopes of prosperous agriculture and fertility. Priest in the Nasca society had the power to organize community work and direct all religious activities, which is how Cahuachi was built. Cahuachi is the largest Nasca site on the South coast thus far measuring

Malpass, Michael A. Daily Life in the Inca Empire. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1996. Questia School. Web. https://www.questiaschool.com/read/99614614/daily-life-in-the-inca-empire

Starting in 1400 CE and continuing even today, Cuzco is the religious and administrative capital of the Incan Empire in Peru (Cartwright). Currently, the Incan Empire is the largest empire ever seen in the Americas and in the world (Cartwright). After conquering the area from the Chanca, the Incas established and named Cuzco accordingly, because the term either originated from qosqo meaning ‘dried-up lake bed’ or cozco for a specific stone marker in the city (Cartwright). Cuzco assures its visitors a wonderful experience, because it has a multitude of extravagant buildings and palaces. The Incans strategically designed their affluent city in the best geographical area possible. For instance, the city is advantageously shaped in the form of a puma, and it is composed of four highways for safe,

The Moche civilization was a pre-Inca culture, settled on the north coast of Peru, also knowing as a Mochicas culture. (Historia Universal, 2011). Moche culture were recognized as “Los maestros artesanos" meaning "The master craftsmen" and "grandes constructores de ciudades" meaning “The great builders of cities," because their great skills to create beautiful pottery describing the daily life, religious and beliefs. (Historia Universal, 2011). Todays days what we have of the Moche culture is the value anthropological work display in some of the Peruvian Museum because this ancient group disappearance around 600 to 700 years is unknown, but could have been started by a drought of 30 years in the late sixth century followed by a

In this article written by Miner, he describes the tribe of the Nacirema vividly and descriptively. The Nacirema are a tribe known for only twenty years. When they were discovered there was almost no information

The pre-Columbian Nahuas were agricultural people; their staple crops are corn, beans, chili peppers, tomatoes, and squash. Their staple livestock were chickens and turkeys. Settlements consist of central villages divided into four sections grouped around a central church. Weaving of cotton and wool is the chief craft among the Nahua, whose skill is great in this respect. Pottery, rope making, palm-fiber weaving, and adobe brickmaking are other crafts that were mastered. Evidence suggests that the Nahuas originally came from the deserts of northern Mexico and migrated into central Mexico in several waves. Before the Nahuas entered Mesoamerica, they were probably living for a while in northwestern Mexico alongside the Cora and Huichol peoples.

The Incan Indians started as a small tribe in South America in pre- Columbian times. According to Lin Donn, author on the website, Inca Empire for Kids Quick History, “The Inca empire started as a small tribe who lived in the village of Cuzco, high in the Andes Mountains of South America. One day, another tribe tried to conquer them. Thanks to

“Well”, you’re thinking, “This is a big civilization. So how could they feed all the people?” Good thought. They grew squash, melons, lucuma, pacay, coton, camote,and guava. They lived by the ocean, so the east side would catch anchovies, clams, mussels, and sardines in their nets, and the east and west sides would trade food. The west would also trade nets made of cotton for fish. After they had eaten the squash and melons, they would decorate the empty

The Inca culture is a society that is considered to be based upon states. States are defined as large populations that consist of more complex and larger areas. The society is organized into ruling elites, bureaucracy and commoners, allowing for management of people. As such, there is unequal access to resources.

Culture is the aquired knowledge that people use to interpret, experience, and generate social behavior.

Inca civilization began in the high plateaus of the Andes Mountains. The civilization grew slowly until Pachacuti took the throne in 1438. He conquered all of Peru and more. The Inca were able to do this because they had a strong military and they were good diplomats. The Inca only used force when it was absolutely necessary. They prefered to have enemy civilizations surrender. If an enemy civilization did surrender, the Inca would let them keep local customs and rituals in exchange for their loyalty to the Inca Empire. Many people gave up to the Inca without resisting, and the Inca found loyalty of conquered people to be vital to the development of their civilization. To govern their civilization, the Inca used a bureaucracy. They also imposed a single language to create unity amongst their empire. They created schools to teach Incan ways to other cultures within their empire. This influenced the children of the conquered people to support the Incan Empire. The Inca would also build cities in areas to show their control and power. The Inca were able to build roads, cities, and schools because every man in the Incan Empire had to complete tax in the form of labor, called Mita. This labor also allowed the government to support the sick and poor and save extra food in case of a bad harvest. The Inca had a very advanced road system which allowed for faster communication and transportation of goods. The road system was a 14,000 mile long network. Some of the

The Norte Chico civilization mysteriously vanished, and it is still unknown today. This civilization was located south of Bolivia, and in the middle of the Peruvian Coast. The Norte Chico civilization was a complex pre-Columbian civilization that had at least 30 major population centers. These major population centers are located in what is now, the Norte Chico region of North-central coastal Peru. These population centers were very densely populated. Many scholars believe that Norte Chico was once the most densely populated area on the Earth. The civilization flourished between the fourth and the second millennium BC; this was 4000 through 3000 BC, and 2000 through 1000 BC. The formation of their first city, the earliest city of the Norte Chico civilization, was dated to around 3500 BC, at Huaricanga. This was in the Fortaleza area. It was the oldest city in the Americas, and one of the earliest cities in the world.

The ancient civilization of Nazca is long disappeared and has granted one of the most significant legacies of ancient Peruvian culture. The Nazca has not only etched their mark into the surface of the Nazca Desert but they left a mark that continues to intrigue scientists and modern society in the present day. Actually, the Nazca left behind thousands of marks in the forms of various shapes, designs, mythological creatures, and a variety of intricate geometric lines. It is evident that the popularity of the Nazca Lines continues to gain momentum as the previous lines are studied and awed over as well as the new geoglyphs are still being discovered at this present time.

The South American civilization consisted mainly of the Incas civilization which was advanced in architecture, agriculture, technology, language, and government. Architecture included a myriad of monuments and temples made for mostly religious reasons. This civilization invented many tools that led to their achievements of agriculture. They also had many technological advances including roadways and many farming techniques. The Incas had no real form of writing system, yet they did have some forms of communication. Lastly, this South American civilization had an advanced form of government which was strictly followed.