Inca culture at the time of the Spanish conquest

Rowe, John Howland

essay

Inca culture at the time of the Spanish conquest

Handbook of South American Indians, edited by Julian H. Steward • 2 • Published In 1946 • Pages: 183-330

By: Rowe, John Howland.

Abstract
This article from the Handbook of South American Indians is a systematic account of the Inka culture as it is possible to be reconstructed from archaeological remains and contemporary written records. There is information on population, tribal distribution, territorial organization, government administration, agriculture and animal husbandry, housing and architecture, communication and transportation, highways and bridges, clothing and ornaments, food and drinks, handicrafts, social stratification, warfare, life cycle, religion, medicine, mythology, literature, art, and science. Due to the limitations imposed by the nature of the source materials, some of the descriptive accounts are rather fragmentary.

Traditional history

Historical reconstruction

Tillage

Woven and other interworked fabrics