Gods and Spirits
The Incas had many gods. Besides the sun god, others included the thunder god, the god of the rain, the earth mother, and the goddess of the moon. There were also spirits called Apus that were connected to the mountains. The Incas believed that each mountain had a special spirit to protect the crops and animals.
At night, the Incas looked at a constellation called Urcuchillay. They imagined Urcuchillay looked like a llama of many colors and took it as a sign that their animals were protected.
An Inca myth said that llamas once spoke to two shepherds to warn them that a great flood was coming. The shepherds took their families and animals high up into the mountains. It rained for months, but then the sun god appeared and the sun returned. Ever since, the myth claims, llamas have lived high in the mountains to keep themselves safe from floods.
The Incas held religious festivals and feasts to celebrate a good harvest, especially of corn. They also had them for protection from earthquakes, floods, and droughts. Some festivals lasted for days. One of the most important was held on the shortest day of the year.
A drought (DROWT) is a time of very little rain.
Inca Farmers
Most Incas lived in small villages. They shared the land and worked together, growing beans, quinoa (KEEN-wah), squash, and fruit. They also raised corn and many kinds of potatoes. There were warehouses all over the empire where the emperor had them store food, wool, and other supplies in case of an emergency.
The Incas had a way of drying potatoes so they could eat them later. They also dried meat to preserve it. The Quechua word for dried meat is ch’arki.
We get the word jerky from the ancient Incas!
Besides llamas and alpacas, the only animals farmers kept were Muscovy ducks and guinea pigs. Many South Americans eat guinea pigs today!
The sides of the mountains were so steep that it was hard for crops to grow there. To solve this problem, farmers dug long, flat steps called terraces across the slopes. They filled them with dirt, sand, and gravel. Stone walls supported the terraces and stopped the crops from washing away.
People used stone stairways to get from one terrace to another.
To give plants enough water in the rocky, thin soil of the Andes, people built miles of stone canals that carried water to the fields.
The terraces’ stone walls stored heat during the day and kept plants from freezing at night.
End of the Empire
In the 1520s, Spanish explorers arrived, bringing diseases that killed many Incas, including the emperor. For four years, the Incas fought with each other for control of the empire.
In 1532, the Spanish killed the new emperor and attacked Inca towns and forts. By 1572, Spain had conquered the once-great Inca Empire. It had lasted just over one hundred years.
The Incas had created a great nation and a strong government without the use of wheels, horses, writing, or machinery. Over the years, ruins of Inca buildings remained hidden in the mountains, smothered by jungle vines and worn away by time.
For thousands of years, people in the Andes have eaten different kinds of potatoes. Some of them taste bitter, and used to make them sick. It turns out that certain wild potatoes have natural toxins in them.
Researchers were curious to know why natives from the high plateau areas of the Andes ate their potatoes with a sauce called chaco. It is made of water, salt, and clay. They analyzed the clay and found that it contained minerals that pulled out the toxins from the potatoes.
People in the Andes learned to soak potatoes to get rid of the toxins and the bitter taste. Some Andeans still practice the old way of eating their potatoes, with chaco.
In 1911, an American history professor and explorer named Hiram Bingham arrived in Cuzco. Hiram was loaded down with cameras, tents, maps, and notebooks. He had come to find the lost Inca city of Vilcabamba, the last city held by the Incas before their defeat by the Spanish in 1572.
No one knew exactly where Vilcabamba was. Before the Spanish attacked, the Incas burned much of the city to the ground. Hiram had heard that its ruins might be in the mountains outside Cuzco.
The Adventure Begins
Hiram and his team set off, first on mules, and then on foot. He was in awe of the towering mountain peaks, canyons, and thick jungles. The men camped beside the roaring Urubamba River.
A farmer named Melchor Artega told Hiram about ruins on top of a nearby mountain called Machu Picchu (MATCH-oo PEEK-choo).
Machu Picchu means “Old Mountain” in Quechua.
Hiram hired Melchor to guide him up the mountain. He grabbed his camera and tied thick cloth around his leather boots for protection against a deadly snake called the fer-de-lance.
The fer-de-lance is the most dangerous snake in South America.
When the men left camp, it was pouring. They struggled up the mountain for about two hours, until they came to a simple hut where a farm family lived.
People there welcomed Hiram with some sweet potatoes and cool water. The farmer told his young son to take Hiram up the mountain to Machu Picchu.
The boy guided Hiram as they clam-bered up the slippery, steep terraces covered in vines, trees, and moss. As they got close to the top, Hiram had counted at least one hundred terraces connected by stairways.
Ten-foot-tall stone walls support the terraces.
Machu Picchu
When he got to Machu Picchu, Hiram saw the vine-covered ruins of buildings made of granite. Many of the roofs had fallen in, but he could see that this had once been a magnificent place.
Hiram Bingham took this picture of the outer wall of Machu Picchu.
He took notes on the temples, fountains, palaces, and houses. Hiram later wrote to his wife, saying that Machu Picchu was so beautiful, it took his breath away.
Hiram stayed at Machu Picchu only one day. He left feeling absolutely certain he’d discovered the lost city of Vilcabamba. (He was wrong!)
Return to Machu Picchu
Hiram returned to Machu Picchu in 1912. With him was a team of archaeologists (ar-kee-AH-luh-jists) and other workers. Archaeologists learn about people from the past by studying things they left behind, like buildings, tools, jewelry, and human remains.
When they reached Machu Picchu, workers began hacking through the thick jungle vines, cane, and trees to see what was underneath. In all, it took four months to clear the growth that covered the site.
At last Hiram and the team saw where narrow streets, temples, palaces, and houses had been. The men made maps, and Hiram took about 200 pictures.
This is one of Hiram’s photos of Machu Picchu after all the work.
Stonework
The Incas used stone that was already there to build Machu Picchu. But teams of Inca workers also pushed large boulders up the steep mountain slopes. Then they chiseled, or carved, them into the shapes they needed.
The stones fit together so perfectly that even a thin knife blade couldn’t be pushed between them.
Vilcabamba or What?
Once again, Hiram left believing that he’d found Vilcabamba, the great lost city of the Incas. Today we know that the ruins of Vilcabamba lie deep in the jungle, about one hundred miles west of Cuzco. The strange thing is that Hiram had actually seen these ruins before but didn’t think they were important!
Hiram wrote about his adventures. He believed for the rest of his life that Machu Picchu was Vilcabamba. But thanks to his writings, people all over the world learned about the wonderful hidden world of Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu After Hiram
Researchers have spent many years studying Machu Picchu. They’ve discovered much more about the site. They’ve even made 3-D computer models of it.
Machu Picchu is truly a place of wonder. It sits almost 8,000 feet above sea level. There are over 600 terraces and about 200 buildings. Among the
m are clusters of houses, temples, and plazas.
There are bathhouses and a prison among the buildings.
And there are lots and lots of steps! The main street is one long staircase. There are also a hundred other stairways. In all, Machu Picchu has 3,000 steps!
Sixteen fountains bringing water from a stream were spaced up and down the main stairway. People filled pitchers from them.
In 1990, workers cleared dirt from a fountain and a canal. They were startled that after so many years, water flowed out of both of them!
What Was Machu Picchu?
Archaeologists say that Machu Picchu wasn’t really a city at all. Some think it was a summer retreat, or vacation spot, where the emperor and other nobles got away to relax. Other archaeologists believe it was for religious ceremonies.
Only about 300 to 1,000 people ever lived in Machu Picchu. Many were nobles, highly skilled workers, or servants. After the Spanish destroyed the empire, the Incas abandoned Machu Picchu forever. The buildings fell into ruins and were swallowed up by the jungle.
Today Machu Picchu is a popular place to visit. No one lives there, and when the tourists go home at night, the llamas and alpacas have this ancient place all to themselves.
Hiram got permission from the government of Peru to take thousands of objects from Machu Picchu back to the United States. Among them were broken bits of pottery, tools, and the skulls and other bones of bodies he discovered in tombs. Hiram sent everything he found to Yale University, where he was teaching. Yale put them in its museum.
It is now against the law to take objects from ancient sites. Peru asked Yale to return the objects Hiram had taken. By 2012, the university had sent them all back. They had been out of Peru for one hundred years. Today they are in a museum in Cuzco.
In the Andes today, the old and new live side by side. In fact, the past and present fit together as tightly as Inca stonework. About one-third of the people in South America live in the cities and villages of the Andes.
About half of the people living in the Andes have Inca ancestors. Quite a few of them live very much as their relatives lived.
Farming Today
Farmers still grow many of the same things. Potatoes are their biggest crop, but the tomatoes we eat today began as wild tomatoes in the Andes thousands of years ago!
Almost every supermarket in the U.S. sells quinoa. People in the Andes cultivated it 5,000 years ago. Quinoa is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Most farming families are Christian, but many still make offerings to the earth and pray to the mountains as their Inca ancestors did.
Farmers are bringing back the old Inca way of watering their crops. The government of Peru has begun a program to restore the canals and terraces that Andeans built 3,000 years ago.
The Andes are so steep that farmers still can’t use most modern farm machinery. But llamas and alpacas are no longer the only large animals on their farms. Some have begun raising cattle and sheep.
Tourists Flock to the Andes
People often take vacations in the Andes. Cuzco has over three million visitors a year! Many come to visit the Inca ruins. There are national parks where hikers can see unique animals and plants. Mountain climbers tackle some of the highest peaks in the world.
Thousands of people climb Mount Aconcagua every year. The easiest route calls for eighteen to twenty days of hard climbing!
Aconcagua is the tallest mountain outside Asia.
Machu Picchu and Other Ruins
Over the years, archaeologists have found ruins in the Andes that few people knew existed. It wasn’t until 1969 that they began work on Vilcabamba and uncovered what was left of the palace. It had a huge main hall with twenty-six doors and many streets and stairways.
Machu Picchu is now a national park. It is such an important place that the United Nations declared it a World Heritage Site in 1983.
World Heritage Sites, like the Statue of Liberty, are protected from destruction or change.
Visitors pay to get in. People must stay on the paths so nothing is damaged, and they can only visit for four hours.
Some llamas and alpacas still live among the ruins of Machu Picchu.
Llamas Today
People all over the world now own llamas. They are so popular, they’re in books, movies, TV commercials, and cartoons.
There are even llama pillows, clothes, and towels.
Most llamas in the United States are pets. But some are also working animals. They can be guards or pack animals, and some people sell their wool, although alpaca wool is more valuable.
Rojo
Llamas can also be trained to be therapy animals. Rojo (ROH-ho) is probably the most famous therapy llama ever. He visits hospitals, schools, and nursing homes in the northwest United States. Because he’s such a gentle creature, people feel good being with him. They call Rojo the world’s most beloved llama. He even has his own Facebook page!
People getting married outdoors in Oregon can rent llamas to be in their weddings!
When you think about the role llamas have played in the history of the Andes, it’s not surprising that people all over the world have heard about these incredible animals. After all, one of the greatest empires the world has ever known would not have existed without the help of llamas.
Doing More Research
There’s a lot more you can learn about llamas and the Andes. The fun of research is seeing how many different sources you can explore.
Books
Most libraries and bookstores have books about llamas, the Incas, and the Andes.
Here are some things to remember when you’re using books for research:
1. You don’t have to read the whole book.
Check the table of contents and the index to find the topics you’re interested in.
2. Write down the name of the book.
When you take notes, make sure you write down the name of the book in your notebook so you can find it again.
3. Never copy exactly from a book.
When you learn something new from a book, put it in your own words.
4. Make sure the book is nonfiction.
Some books tell make-believe stories about llamas and the Andes. Make-believe stories are called fiction. They’re fun to read, but not good for research.
Research books have facts and tell true stories. They are called nonfiction. A librarian or teacher can help you make sure the books you use for research are non-fiction.
Here are some good nonfiction books about llamas and the Andes:
The Andes by Molly Aloian
The Inca Empire (A True Book) by Sandra Newman
Llamas by Mary R. Dunn
Llamas (DK Readers Level 2) by Laura Buller
Llamas (Living Wild) by Melissa Gish
Llamas (A True Book) by Emilie U. Lepthien
This Place Is High by Vicki Cobb
Where Is Machu Picchu? by Megan Stine
Museums
Many museums can help you learn more about llamas, the Incas, and the Andes.
When you go to a museum:
1. Be sure to take your notebook!
Write down anything that catches your interest. Draw pictures, too!
2. Ask questions.
There are almost always people at museums who can help you find what you’re looking for.
3. Check the calendar.
Many museums have special events and activities just for kids!
Here are some museums where you can learn about the Incas and the Andes:
American Museum of Natural History (New York)
Peabody Museum of Natural History (New Haven, CT)
Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian (Washington, D.C
.)
There are zoos and llama farms in almost every state. Here are a few:
Lincoln Children’s Zoo (Lincoln, NE)
Long Island Game Farm (Manorville, NY)
Denver Zoo (Colorado)
San Diego Zoo (San Diego)
The Internet
Many websites have lots of facts about llamas, the Incas, and the Andes. Some also have activities that can help make learning about llamas, the Incas, and the Andes easier.
Ask your teacher or your parents to help you find more websites like these:
incas.mrdonn.org
kids.kiddle.co/Machu_Picchu
kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/peru
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