Pilgrims traveling to Machu Picchu in the 15th century were greeted by Chachabamba, a ceremonial water complex that was designed to demonstrate the power of the Inca peoples. Now researchers have used ...

What remains of the Inca legacy is limited, as the conquistadors plundered what they could of Inca treasures and in so doing, dismantled the many structures painstakingly built by Inca craftsmen to ...

Based on archaeological excavations, we know that ancient Andean civilizations emerged at least as far back as 3500 B.C.E. and evolved until the Spanish conquest started in the 15th century. Notably, ...

A stone box fished out of Lake Titicaca contains tiny items that add an intriguing twist to what’s known about the Inca empire’s religious practices and supernatural beliefs about the massive lake.

The Inca Empire in South America, one of the most powerful pre-Columbian societies, was known for many innovations — such as the architecture of Machu Picchu, an extensive road network, and a system ...

The Inca Empire owes much to the humble llama—and to the animal’s droppings. As a 2011 study of the fallen Andean civilization revealed, llama dung served as an essential fertilizer for the Incas’ ...

The Inca Trail is approximately 26 miles long and leads to one of the most iconic sites in the world: Machu Picchu. Millions of people trek to the 15th-century Citadel to see a well-preserved Incan ...