Presentation of the civilization of the Middle Ages Maya and Aztecs. Life of the Incas and Aztecs

Life of the Incas and Aztecs Krishtal Valery Student of the 10th grade of Municipal Educational Institution “Secondary School No. 4” in the city of Kimry, Tver Region

Inca Empire

The Inca Empire, or, as the Incas themselves called their country, “The Land of Four Parts.” The latter name is due to the fact that the country was divided into four provinces: Kuntinsuyu, Collasuyu, Antisuyu and Chinchasuyu with the capital in the city of Cusco. The founding of the country is attributed to the legendary Inca Manco Capac. The word “Inca” itself never referred to the name of the tribe; it only denoted the ruler of the state. Under his successors, the territory of the state constantly expanded, especially when a regular army was created under Yaruara Huacaca.

Abandoned Aztec city of the 16th century

When conquering a state or city, the Incas resettled other tribes on their territory, due to which the national element, which could lead to a war of liberation, disappeared. In the conquered territories, the official language of the Incas, Quechuan, was introduced without fail, which also contributed to the unity of the huge country. The symbol of the country's power was the city of Cusco, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, on whose territory there were hundreds of palaces and temples. The main square in the city was Huacapata Square (sacred terrace), from which roads departed to the four main provinces of the country. There were also palaces there, one of which had an area of ​​30 by 160 meters. The wealth of the Inca rulers can be judged by the fact that when the old Inca emperor died, his body was embalmed and placed in the palace, which from now on became a sanctuary. His successor had to build a new palace for himself. No European ruler could afford such luxury.

Pyramid of the Sun - the largest pyramid in Teotihuacan

But the most striking thing with its magnificence was the temple complex of Cusco Coricancha (golden courtyard). Its main building was the temple of the sun god Inti, in which there were a huge number of tons of gold alone. Golden windows, doors, walls, roofs, floors, ceilings, and religious objects amazed people. The center of the temple was a multi-meter disk made of pure gold, symbolizing the Sun God. Near the temple there was a courtyard called Intipampa (golden field), on which there were trees, plants and herbs made of gold, deer, butterflies, shepherds, etc. Moreover, all this was made in life-size and everything moved (!) with the help of the most skillful mechanisms . It truly was a miracle unparalleled in the world.

Temple complex Cusco Coricancha

No less proud of the empire were its roads, which were no inferior to modern highways. One of these roads was 5,250 kilometers long - the longest highway in the world until the beginning of the 20th century. The roads were up to 7.5 meters wide, and in some places were located at an altitude of 5160 meters above sea level. Inns with warehouses were built on the roads at a certain distance from each other.

Inca roads

Stone statues of Easter Island. Chile

The Incas also had a state post office, which looks almost fantastic. Despite these magnificent achievements, the Incas did not know either the wheel or writing. However, they had writing, but in the form of a “knot letter”: the threads in this knot indicated either gold - a yellow rope, or a soldier - red, etc. Numbers were indicated by knitting a certain number of knots. However, this did not interfere with the development of science and poetry. The life of the Incas was unthinkable without religious rites, which, like the Aztecs, were characterized by incredible cruelty. A “caste” of professional priests, headed by a high priest, was responsible for performing the rituals. The gods of the Incas were Inti - God of the sun, Mama Kilya - Goddess of the moon, Mama Pacha - Goddess of the earth, Mama Kochi - Goddess of the sea, etc. Each of these gods was dedicated to a special holiday, of which there were a year (for the Incas the year was also equal to 365 days) exorbitant amount.

Sacrifice

Inca writing

Inca Sun God - Inti

During each of them, thousands of people were thrown onto the altar, whose blood flowed in rivers from the altars of the insatiable gods. Moral values ​​were also trampled upon, ultimately reduced to zero. Religious fanaticism and cruelty, combined with debauchery, corroded the outwardly brilliant empire from within, like rust. On November 15, 1532, a detachment of Spanish conquistadors led by Pizarro, crossing the Andes, entered the land of the Incas. The history of the collapse of the Aztec state completely repeated itself. Taking advantage of the strife that began among the Incas in the struggle for the throne, Pizarro with a small handful of people defeated the greatest empire, which soon turned into a Spanish colony.

Inca rulers: 1. Manco Capac (1150) 2. Sinchi Roca 3. Lloque Yupanqui 4. Maita Capac 5. Capac Yupanqui 6. Inca Roca 7. Yaruar Huacac 8. Viracocha Inca 9. Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (1438-1471) 10. Tupac Inca Yupanqui (1471-1493) 11. Huayna Capac (1493-1527) 12. Huascar (1527-1530) 13. Atahualpa (1530-1532)

Like the idol with clay feet from the book of the prophet Daniel, the Inca Empire looked menacing and majestic, but if we take a closer look, we will see that its base, like the idol’s, was made of clay. Built on false religion, cruelty and debauchery, the Inca Empire collapsed, leaving behind pitiful, degraded tribes of unfortunate people who did not know how to sew clothes, shoot archery, or build on their own.

Aztec Empire

The main task facing the rulers was the constant waging of war, participation in which was considered the highest happiness. Moreover, waging war was not pursued by the goal of enrichment, but by serving the gods. This is the fundamental difference between the wars of the Aztecs and the wars waged by Europeans, the purpose of which was to expand territory, capture slaves, and treasures. For the Aztecs, all this faded into the background. Moreover, the service and veneration of God consisted, first of all, in bringing him human sacrifices from among the captives.

Aztec temples had the shape of a pyramid, on top of which there were two mini-temples dedicated to the main gods. According to the beliefs of the Aztecs, human blood was the food of the gods, and therefore the more people, namely people, not animals, were thrown on the altar, the kinder God had to be to the Aztecs. On weekdays, not to mention holidays, thousands and thousands of people threw themselves on the altar. It is estimated that in just a few years up to 150 thousand people were killed in this way. When waging war, the Aztecs tried not to kill, but to capture their enemies in order to sacrifice them.

Human sacrifice

Human sacrifice

Sacrifice

In the cult of another god, the fire god Huehueteotl, whose temple was also at the top of the pyramid, prisoners were burned over a very low fire, reveling in their torment. Small children were sacrificed to the god of fertility Tlaop, killing them in the most cruel way. Women were sacrificed to the earth goddess. The Aztecs even had a god of human sacrifice, Xipe Totec. The worship of other gods was of the same nature. Reading these descriptions, it is sometimes hard to believe that millions of people were killed in this way. But archeology today gives a positive answer, every day adding thousands more victims who are found during excavations. It is worth noting here that by burning children, the Aztecs believed that they were not doing anything terrible or special.

For this people, the value of human life was reduced to nothing, and even simple moral principles were completely rejected. Against the backdrop of these atrocities, art and culture flourished, magnificent palaces with gardens and galleries, huge pyramid temples stretching into the sky, canals, dams, and schools were erected. Poetry and philosophy developed, but a people without a foundation of faith in the true God could not exist for long. Its degradation began, terrible debauchery and cruelty filled the life of the Aztecs.

Mythical Aztec eagle

Sacred Stone of the Sun

Aztec Temple

Aztec Temple

The once great people turned out to be incapable of anything, pitiful and insignificant, and therefore when a handful of Spaniards led by Hernando Cortes entered Tenochtitlan on November 8, 1519, the Aztecs found themselves in complete power, mistaking them for gods due to their skin color and clothing . Soon Cortez won the full trust of the Aztec ruler Montezuma, then captured him along with countless treasures. A few years later, the huge Aztec empire collapsed under pressure from several hundred Spaniards, being completely degraded and unable to conduct any military operations.

Aztec rulers: 1. Acamapichtli (1376-1395) 2. Huitzilihuitl (1395-1405) 3. Chimalpopocu (1405-1428) 4. Itzcoatl (1428-1440) 5. Montezuma the First (1440-1468) 6. Axayacatl (1468-1440) 1483) 7. Tizón (1483-1486) 8. Ahuizotl (1486-1502) 9. Montezuma II (1502-1520) 10. Cuntlaulac (1520-1520) 11. Cuauhtemoc (1520-1521)

On August 13, 1521, the Spaniards captured the last ruler of the Aztecs, Cuauhtemoc, and a number of his supreme advisers, and at the same time the magnificent Aztec capital was destroyed. This is how the Aztec state ended its existence. Today, the site of the ancient state is inhabited by small Indian tribes, even the appearance of which speaks of their complete degradation. These poor and pitiful people look in awe at the ruins of the huge temples and pyramids that their distant ancestors erected.

Mother Earth. Mound in the shape of a snake. State of Ohio, USA. The beginning of a new era

By the time Columbus “discovered” America (1492), it was inhabited by many Indian tribes and ethnic groups, most of which were at a primitive stage of development. At the same time, some of them, living in Mesoamerica (Central America) and the Andes (South America), reached the level of highly developed ancient civilizations, although they were far behind Europe: the latter was by that time experiencing the heyday of the Renaissance.

The meeting of two worlds, two cultures and civilizations had different consequences for the meeting parties. Europe borrowed many of the achievements of Indian civilizations; in particular, it was thanks to America that Europeans began to consume potatoes, tomatoes, corn, beans, tobacco, cocoa, and quinine. In general, after the discovery of the New World, the development of Europe accelerated significantly. The fate of ancient American cultures and civilizations was completely different: the development of some of them actually ceased, and many completely disappeared from the face of the earth.

Available scientific data indicate that there were no centers of formation of ancient man on the American continent. The settlement of this continent by people began in the Late Paleolithic era - approximately 30-20 thousand years ago - and came from Northeast Asia through the Bering Strait and Alaska. The further evolution of the emerging communities went through all known stages and had both similarities and differences from other continents.

An example of a highly developed primitive culture of the New World is the so-called Olmec Culture, existed on the southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico in the 1st millennium BC. Much remains unclear and mysterious regarding this culture. In particular, the specific ethnic group that bears (the name “Olmec” will be conditional) this culture is not known, the general territory of its distribution, as well as the features of the social structure, etc., have not been determined.

It is important to note that, however, with all this, the available archaeological information allows us to say that in the first half of the 1st millennium BC. The tribes inhabiting Verascus and Tabasco reached a high level of development. They will have the first “ritual centers”, they build pyramids from adobe and clay, and construct monuments of monumental sculpture. An example of such monuments were huge anthropomorphic heads weighing up to 20 tons. Relief carving on basalt and jade, the production of celtic axes, masks and statues are widespread. In the 1st century BC. there will be the first examples of writing and calendar. Similar cultures existed in other areas of the continent.

Ancient cultures and civilizations developed by the end of the 1st millennium BC. and existed until the 16th century. AD - before the arrival of Europeans. In their evolution, two periods are usually distinguished: early, or classical (1st millennium AD), and late, or postclassical (X-XVI centuries AD)

Among the most significant cultures of Mesoamerica of the classical period are Teotihuacan. originated in Central Mexico. The surviving ruins should be noted that Teotihuacan, the capital of the civilization of the same name, indicates that it was the political, economic and cultural center of all Mesoamerica with a population of 60-120 thousand people. Crafts and trade developed most successfully in it. Archaeologists have discovered about 500 craft workshops, entire neighborhoods of foreign merchants and “diplomats” in the city. Craftsmanship products are found throughout almost all of Central America.

It is noteworthy that almost the entire city was a unique architectural monument. Its center was carefully planned around two wide streets intersecting at right angles: from north to south - the Road of the Dead Avenue, over 5 km long, and from west to east - an unnamed avenue up to 4 km long.

At the northern end of the Road of the Dead rises the huge silhouette of the Pyramid of the Moon (height 42 m), made of raw brick and lined with volcanic stone. On the other side of the avenue there is an even more grandiose structure - the Pyramid of the Sun (height 64.5 m), on the top of which a temple once stood. The place where the avenues intersect is occupied by the ruler's palace. Note that Teotihuacan is a “Citadel”, which is a complex of buildings that included a temple god Quetzalcoatl - The Feathered Serpent, one of the main deities, patron of culture and knowledge, god of air and wind. All that remains of the temple is its pyramidal base, consisting of six decreasing stone platforms, as if placed on top of each other. The facade of the pyramid and the balustrade of the main staircase are decorated with sculpted heads of Quetzalcoatl himself and the god of water and rain Tlaloc in the form of a butterfly.

Along the Road of the Dead there are the remains of dozens more temples and palaces. Among them is the beautiful Quetzalpapalotl Palace, or Palace of the Feathered Snail, reconstructed today, the walls of which are decorated with fresco paintings. There are also excellent examples of such painting in the Temple of Agriculture, which depicts gods, people and animals. The original monuments of the culture in question will be anthropomorphic masks made of stone and clay. In the III-VII centuries. Ceramic products—cylindrical vessels with picturesque paintings or carved ornaments—and terracotta figurines are widely used.

Note that Teotihuacan culture reached its highest peak by the beginning of the 7th century. AD At the same time, already at the end of the same century, the beautiful city suddenly perishes, destroyed by a gigantic fire. The causes of this disaster still remain unclear - most likely as a result of the invasion of militant barbarian tribes of Northern Mexico.

Aztec culture

After the death, we note that Teotihuacan Central Mexico plunged into troubled times of interethnic wars and civil strife for a long time. As a result of repeated mixing of local tribes with newcomers - first with the Chichemecs, and then with the Tenochki-pharmacies - in 1325 on the desert islands of the lake, we note that the capital of the Aztecs was founded in Texcoco Note that Tenochtitlan. The emerging city-state grew rapidly and by the beginning of the 16th century. turned into one of the most powerful powers in America - the famous Aztec Empire with a huge territory and a population of 5-6 million people. Its borders extended from Northern Mexico to Guatemala and from the Pacific Coast to the Gulf of Mexico.

The capital itself - note that Tenochtitlan - has become a large city with a population of 120-300 thousand inhabitants. The island city was connected to the mainland by three wide stone causeway roads. According to eyewitnesses, the Aztec capital was a beautiful, well-planned city. Its ritual and administrative center was a magnificent architectural ensemble, which included a “sacred area” surrounded by walls, inside which were located the main city temples, dwellings of priests, schools, and a ground for ritual ball games. Nearby were no less magnificent palaces of the Aztec rulers.

basis economy The Aztecs were agriculture, and the main cultivated crop was corn. It should be emphasized that it was the Aztecs who were the first to grow cocoa beans And tomatoes; they will be the authors of the word “tomatoes”. Many crafts were at a high level, especially gold coinage. When the great Albrecht Durer saw Aztec gold items in 1520, he declared: “Never in my life have I seen anything that moved me so deeply as these objects.”

Reached the highest level Aztec spiritual culture. This was largely due to the effective education system, which included two types of schools, in which the male population is educated. In schools of the first type, boys from the upper class were brought up, who were destined to become a priest, dignitary or military leader. Boys from ordinary families studied in schools of the second type, where they were prepared for agricultural work, crafts and military affairs. Schooling was compulsory.

System of religious-mythological ideas and cults The Aztecs were quite complex. At the origins of the pantheon were the ancestors - creator god Ome teku aphids and his divine consort. Among the active ones, the main deity was the god of the sun and war Huitzilopochtli. War was a form of worship of this god and was elevated to a cult.
It is worth noting that the god Sintheoble, the patron of corn fertility, occupied a special place. The protector of the priests was Lord Quetzalcoatl.

Yacatecuhali was the god of trade and patron of merchants. In general, there were many gods. Suffice it to say that every month and every day of the year had his god.

Developed very successfully the science. It was based on philosophy, which was practiced by sages who were highly respected. The leading science was astronomy. Aztec stargazers easily navigated the starry picture of the sky. Satisfying the needs of agriculture, they developed a fairly accurate calendar. taking into account the position and movement of stars in the sky.

The Aztecs created a highly developed artistic culture. Among the arts has achieved significant success literature. Aztec writers created didactic treatises, dramatic and prose works. The leading position was occupied by poetry, which included several genres: military poems, poems about flowers, spring songs. The greatest success was enjoyed by religious poems and hymns, which were sung in honor of the main gods of the Aztecs.

No less successfully developed architecture. In addition to the beautiful ensembles and palaces of the capital already mentioned above, magnificent architectural monuments were created in other cities. Moreover, almost all of them were destroyed by the Spanish conquistadors. Among the amazing creations is the recently discovered temple in Malinalco. This temple, which had the shape of a traditional Aztec pyramid, is notable for this. that it was all carved right into the rock. If we consider that the Aztecs used only stone tools, then one can imagine what gigantic efforts the construction of this temple required.

In the 1980s, as a result of earthquakes, excavations and excavations, the Main Aztec Temple was opened in the very center of Mexico City - Note that Templo Major. The sanctuaries of the main god Huitzilopochtli and the god of water and rain, patron of agriculture, Tlaloc, were also discovered. Remains of wall paintings and samples of stone sculpture were discovered. Among the finds, a round stone with a diameter of more than 3 m with a bas-relief image of the goddess Coyol-shauhki, the sister of Huitzilopochtli, stands out. Stone figurines of gods, corals, shells, pottery, necklaces, etc. were preserved in deep hiding pits.

The Aztec culture and civilization reached its peak at the beginning of the 16th century. At the same time, this flowering soon came to an end. The Spaniards captured Tenochti Glan in 1521. The city was destroyed, and on its ruins a new city grew - Mexico City, which became the center of the colonial possessions of the European conquerors.

Mayan civilization

Mayan culture and civilization became another amazing phenomenon of pre-Columbian America, which existed in the 1st-15th centuries. AD in southeastern Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala. A modern researcher of the region, G. Lehman, called the Mayans “the most fascinating of all the civilizations of ancient America.”

Indeed, everything connected with the Mayans is shrouded in mystery and mystery. Their origin remains a mystery. The mystery will be their choice of settlement - the rugged jungles of Mexico. It is important to note that the ups and downs in their subsequent development are both a mystery and a miracle.

In the classical period (I-IX centuries AD), the development of Mayan civilization and culture proceeded along a steep upward trajectory. Already in the first centuries of our era, they reached the highest level and amazing perfection in architecture, sculpture and painting. The emerging large and populous cities became centers of craft production, marked by a real flowering of painted ceramics. In ϶ᴛᴏ time, the Mayans created the only developed hieroglyphic writing, as evidenced by inscriptions on steles, reliefs, and small plastic objects. The Mayans compiled an accurate solar calendar and successfully predicted solar and lunar eclipses.

The main type of monumental architecture there was a pyramidal temple installed on a high pyramid - up to 70 m. If you consider that the entire structure was erected on high pyramidal hills, you can imagine how majestic and grandiose the entire structure looks. This is exactly how the Temple of the Inscriptions in Palenque appears, which served as the tomb of the ruler like the pyramids of Ancient Egypt. The entire structure was covered with hieroglyphic relief inscriptions, which decorate the walls, crypt, sarcophagus lid and other objects. A steep staircase with several platforms leads to the temple. In the city there are three more pyramids with temples of the Sun, the Cross and the Foliated Cross, as well as a palace with a five-story square tower, which apparently served as an observatory: on the top floor there is a stone bench on which the astrologer sat, peering into the distant sky. The walls of the palace are also decorated with reliefs depicting prisoners of war.

In the VI-IX centuries. achieve the highest successes monumental sculpture and Mayan painting. The sculptural schools of Palenque, Copan and other cities achieve rare skill and subtlety in conveying the naturalness of the poses and movements of the characters depicted, which are usually rulers, dignitaries and warriors. Small plastic works are also distinguished by amazing craftsmanship - especially small figurines.

The surviving examples of Mayan painting amaze with the elegance of their design and richness of color. The famous frescoes of Bonampak will be recognized as masterpieces of pictorial art. It is worth noting that they talk about military battles, depict solemn ceremonies, complex rituals of sacrifice, graceful dances, etc.

In the 1st-10th centuries. Most Mayan cities were destroyed by the invading Toltec tribes, but in the 11th century. Mayan culture was revived again in the Yucatan Peninsula and in the mountains of Guatemala.
It is worth noting that its main centers are the cities of Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Mayapan.

Still developing most successfully architecture. It is important to note that one of the remarkable architectural monuments of the postclassical period will be the pyramid of Kukulcan - the “Feathered Serpent” in Chichen Itza. To the top of the nine-step pyramid, where the temple is located, there are four staircases bordered by a balustrade, which begins at the bottom with a beautifully executed snake head and continues in the form of a snake body to the upper floor. The pyramid symbolizes the calendar, since the 365 steps of its stairs correspond to the number of days in the year. It is worth noting that it is also notable for the fact that inside it there is another nine-step pyramid, in which there is a sanctuary, and in it there is an amazing stone throne depicting a jaguar.

The “Temple of the Magician” pyramid in Uxmal will also be very original. It is worth noting that it differs from all others in that in horizontal projection it has an oval shape.

By the middle of the 15th century. Mayan culture enters into a severe crisis and declines. When the Spanish conquerors entered at the beginning of the 16th century. to Mayan cities, many of them were abandoned by their inhabitants. The reasons for such an unexpected and sad ending to a thriving culture and civilization remain a mystery.

Ancient civilizations of South America. Inca culture

In South America, almost simultaneously with the Olmec civilization of Mesoamerica, at the end of the 2nd millennium BC, an equally mysterious Chavin culture, similar to the Olmec, although not related to it.

At the turn of our era, in the northern part of the coastal zone of Peru there will be Mochica Civilization, and in the south - Nazca civilization. Somewhat later, in the mountains of northern Bolivia, an original Tiahuanaco culture. These civilizations of South America were in some respects inferior to the Mesoamerican cultures: they did not have hieroglyphic writing, an accurate calendar, etc. But in many other ways - especially in technology - they were superior to Mesoamerica. Already from the 2nd millennium BC. The Indians of Peru and Bolivia smelted metals, processed gold, silver, copper and their alloys and made from them not only beautiful jewelry, but also tools - shovels and hoes. It is worth noting that they had developed agriculture, built magnificent temples, created monumental sculptures, and produced beautiful ceramics with polychrome painting. Their fine fabrics made of cotton and wool became widely known. In the 1st millennium AD the production of metal products, ceramics and textiles reached a large scale and a high level, and it was this that constituted the unique variety of South American civilizations of the classical period.

The Postclassical period (X-XVI centuries AD) was marked by the emergence and disappearance of many states in both the mountainous and coastal zones of South America. In the XIV century. The Incas create the state of Tauatin-suyu in the mountainous zone, which, after long wars with neighboring small states, manages to emerge victorious and subjugate all the others.

In the 15th century it turns to the gigantic and famous Inca Empire with a huge territory and a population of about 6 million people. At the head of the huge power was a divine ruler, the son of the Sun Inca, who relied on a hereditary aristocracy and a caste of priests.

The basis economy was agriculture, the main crops of which were corn, potatoes, beans, and red peppers. The Inca state was distinguished by its efficient organization of public works, called "mita". Mita implied the obligation of all subjects of the empire to work one month a year on the construction of government facilities. It is worth noting that it made it possible to gather tens of thousands of people in one place, thanks to which irrigation canals, fortresses, roads, bridges, etc. were built in a short time.

From north to south, the Inca Country is crossed by two paraplegic roads. one of which had a length of more than 5 thousand km. These highways were connected to each other by a large number of transverse roads, which created an excellent network of communications. Along the roads at certain distances there were postal stations and warehouses with food and necessary materials. There was a state post office in Gauatinsuyu.

Spiritual and religious life and matters of cult were the responsibility of the priests. The supreme deity was considered Viracocha - Creator of the world and other gods. Other deities were the golden sun god Inti. god of weather, thunder and lightning Ilpa.
It is worth noting that the ancient cults of the mother of the Earth Mama Pacha and the mother of the sea Mama (Sochi) occupied a special place. The worship of the gods took place in stone temples decorated inside with gold.

State regulated all aspects of life, including the personal life of citizens of the empire. All Incas were required to marry before a certain age. If this did not happen, then the issue was decided by a government official at his discretion, and his decision was binding.

Although the Incas did not have real writing, this did not prevent them from creating beautiful myths, legends, epic poems, religious hymns, and dramatic works. Unfortunately, little has been preserved of this spiritual wealth.

Highest flourishing culture the Incas reached at the beginning XVI V. At the same time, prosperity did not last long. In 1532, the most powerful empire of pre-Columbian America submitted to the Europeans almost without resistance. A small group of Spanish conquerors led by Francisco Pizarro managed to kill Inca Atahualpa, which paralyzed the will to resist his people, and the great Inca Empire ceased to exist.

summary of other presentations

"Ancient Civilizations of America"- Aztec religion. Inca architecture. Loincloth. The Incas worshiped the Sun. The richest musical culture. Culture of civilizations of Ancient America. Inca calendar. Art. Civilizations of Ancient America. Education and science. Cloth. Mayan religion. Religion. Mayan calendar.

"Inca Empire"- The air in the city is thin, and therefore it is difficult to breathe here. The Temple of Thunder, the Temple of the Rainbow, and the premises for sacrifices have already been restored. The slopes of the mountains around the city are carved with ledges, peculiar terraces that were created by the Incas. The Incas. Manco Capac. Modern cusco. Church of St. Dominic. Inca Empire. The Incas were able to assert their dominance over other tribes. To the Inca Empire. Cusco is the most beautiful city in Peru, where many palaces and churches of the 16th-18th centuries have been preserved.

"Inca Tribes"- Agriculture in the land of the Incas. No big deal. Indians. Rainy season. Peruvian Indians. Powerful fortresses. The Incas. Ruler. Pepper. Vessels. Thin fabrics. Agriculture. Barter and trade. Peruvians. Dense forests. Wooden stake Peruvian farmers. Temple of the Sun. Gold and silver.

"Ancient Incas"- Inca cities: Cusco. Transport routes. Gods of the Incas. Reasons for the fall of the Tawantinsuyu Empire. Hierarchy of power. Arts and crafts. Inca writing is quipu. Death of the Empire. Founding of an empire. Ancestors of the Incas. Inca cities: Machu Picchu. Inca mummies. Inca Empire. In 1532, the city of Tumbes was plundered. Medicine. Atahualpa is brought to Cuzco, where he is killed.

"Easter Island"- Island. Picnics are organized for tourists in palm groves. Also not far from Anakena Bay are ahuAture-Huki and ahu Naunau. The local name of the island is Rapa Nui. Moai. Some scholars have argued for the American origins of the Polynesians. On the shore of Anakena Bay there is one of the most beautiful beaches of the island with crystal white coral sand. The Kon-Tiki raft, built by Heyerdahl on the model of ancient Peruvian rafts.

"Peoples of Pre-Columbian America"- Violation of discipline. Army size. Activities of American residents. Aztec civilization. The peoples of America. Mayan civilization. States and peoples of pre-Columbian America. Controllers. State of the Incas. Maya at work.

Research has shown that the Olmecs had well-planned cult centers and step pyramids, stone sculpture, arts and crafts, hieroglyphic writing, and a ritual calendar. Olmec architecture is poorly preserved, as the building materials used were earth and rubble, covered with a thick layer of plaster.

One of the famous sculptures depicts a young man with a wide and flat nose, as if flattened in the middle, thick lips and almond-shaped eyes, slightly covered with heavy eyelids. The height of the sculpture is 2.41 m, weight 25 tons. On the young man’s head is a tight-fitting helmet with headphones decorated with a relief pattern.

By the beginning of the new era, the Olmec culture had disappeared. What caused its decline is unknown, but it was replaced by new civilizations, and above all the city of Teotihuacan in Central America (2nd century BC, 7th century AD). In this city, located near modern Mexico City, two main temples dedicated to the Sun and Moon have been preserved from its heyday. They are located at the top of a huge step pyramid. The temples were decorated with colorful paintings and brightly painted statues of gods. The eyes of the sculptures are inlaid with precious stones and mother-of-pearl.

The most grandiose architectural structure is the Pyramid of the Sun (Mexico), which currently has a height of 64.6 m (in all likelihood, in ancient times it was even higher). Unlike other pyramidal structures that had a stepped shape, the Pyramid of the Sun consists of four large, decreasing truncated pyramids, placed one on top of the other. On one side of the pyramid there is a system of gradually narrowing ramps that led to the sanctuary in the temple. The planes between the terraces of the building were constructed in such a way that spectators located at the foot of the large staircase could not see what was happening at its top. The pyramid was built from a huge number of mud bricks and faced with plastered stone slabs.

Statue of Coatlicue Aztec sculpture reached a special flowering. Monumental statues of deities are abstract and conventional in nature. An example is the huge statue of Coatlicue, the goddess of earth, death and spring fertility, mother of the supreme deity of war. This statue only vaguely resembles a human figure: it has no face, no head, no arms, no legs. It is made of various materials: corn cobs, claws and fangs of jaguars, human skulls and palms, feathers, writhing snakes, paws of eagles. All this accumulation of various objects is strictly symmetrical and balanced.

Unlike Egypt, tetrahedral step pyramids were built here, on the truncated top of which a temple with two or three rooms was erected. From the foot of the pyramid to the door of the sanctuary there was a long, wide staircase, sometimes such stairs were located on all four sides of the pyramid.

Pyramid of Kukulkan One of the peaks of Mayan architecture is the nine-step pyramid of Kukulkan in the city of Chichen Itza in the territory of modern Mexico. This was the main temple of the city. It rose to a height of twenty meters above the surrounding area and defined the architectural silhouette of the city. This majestic architectural structure invariably appeared to the gaze of a person located at any point.

Pyramid of Kukulkan To each of the four sides of the pyramid there was a staircase consisting of 91 steps, which in total gave the number 364. If we take into account the platform at the top of the pyramid, we get the number 365, equal to the number of days in the solar year. Nine steps of terraces, separated by a staircase, form 18 sections on one side, corresponding to the number of months in the Mayan calendar. Each staircase was surrounded by columns with images of winged dragons.

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Temple of the Sun One of the most outstanding structures of the Inca period is the main temple of the Sun “Golden Fence”. According to the descriptions, it was surrounded by a triple wall, which had a circumference of about 380 m. Well-hewn stones were tightly fitted to each other without the use of a binding solution. The wall was decorated with a belt of gold plates “four palms wide and four fingers thick.” The main wall contained the only entrance leading from the Square of the Sun directly to the sanctuary of the deity. In the central hall of the sanctuary, an image of the Sun god was erected in the form of a huge golden disk decorated with precious stones. An unquenchable fire was constantly maintained in front of him.
Inca Garden Around the main buildings were the premises of the priests and temple servants and the world famous “Golden Garden” of the Incas. Its dimensions reached approximately 220 x 100 m, and the garden itself and all its inhabitants, people, birds, lizards, and insects, were made life-size from pure gold and silver.

Relief on the Gate of the Sun The Incas also achieved certain successes in sculpture. One of the most significant sculptural monuments is the relief on the Gate of the Sun in Tiahuanaco. On the front side of a huge monolithic stone block there is a relief carved with the image of the supreme deity. The deity stands on a dais with staffs in both hands.

His headdress resembles radiating snakes. The figure of the deity is squat, he has unnaturally small legs, and his face is wide and square. On either side of him are three rows of minor deities, or winged geniuses, facing him. The relief gives the impression of calm grandeur and power. The most mysterious thing in this structure is the frieze calendar depicting human figures, animals and ornaments. Among the many animals carved on the Gate of the Sun, you can even find an elephant.

Inca craftsmen created jewelry from gold, exquisite luxury items, in which they used fancy graphic patterns on mythological stories about the creation of the world, the struggle of heroes with fantastic monsters, as well as episodes from everyday life (hunting, fishing, weaving)