In less than two centuries, the Inka developed a powerful empire and a complex set of artistic traditions.
1438–1532 C.E.
Beginner's Guide
Learn about Inka textiles, ceramics, metalwork, and architecture.
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Inka checkerboard tunics
It is thought that these tunics were made for soldiers and the checkered pattern camouflaged them into an indistinguishable mass.
The Inka khipu
Inka khipus are bundles of woolen cords tied together with knots added to them to encode information.
An Inka paccha
The ritual this was made for was enacted in fields the Inka owned—in the Chancay lands they had conquered.
Introduction to the Inka
The Inka empire spanned from Ecuador to Chile, and was connected by a road system used for official business only.
Keru Vessel
Although this vessel depicts a royal Inka couple, it was produced after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors.
Inka stone vessels
These receptacles held liquid offerings, the surface of the liquid were eyes that saw into the underworld.
What is an Inka ushnu?
Sites for ritual activity, ushnus occupied the best real estate, chosen for their views of snow-capped mountains.
Inka ushnus: landscape, site and symbol in the Andes
The Inkas filled the landscape with symbols of their presence, including these platforms.
All-T’oqapu Tunic
Andean cultures had long valued textiles, but they were especially significant and finely-made in the Inka Empire.
Machu Picchu
The Inka emperor hosted feasts, performed religious ceremonies, and ruled his empire from this remote citadel.
Maize cobs
A life-size metallic garden at the Qorikancha included these corn cobs, llamas, and other offerings.
City of Cuzco
It has been argued that Cusco was laid out in the shape of a puma, symbolizing Inka might.
