The history of ancient South America focuses on stories of bloodthirsty gods, human sacrifice and the lust for gold. This book goes much deeper to reveal the truth about one of the world’s largest empires. It opens with an account of the Inca empire of the sun, from its days as a small city-state to its incredible expansion under the first great Inca leader, Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui. By the end of his reign in 1471, most of what is modern Peru and Ecuador were under Inca control, and by the time of the Spanish conquest, their empire had grown to include Bolivia, northern Chile, and parts of Argentina and Colombia. The final chapter in this section is on power and warfare, including the Moche State, the Kingdom of Chimú and the Inca Empire. The second part of the book tells the story of myth, legend, religious beliefs and rituals. The ancient belief system of the Incas grew from a desire to explain the forces of nature, and the mysteries of creation, life and death. Rituals developed, including human and animal sacrifice, and honouring the gods lay at the heart of everyday lives. This authoritative volume combines expert text with hundreds of illustrations, photographs and maps depicting the art, architecture, and sacred sites. This enthralling history of South America, with its descriptions of sun gods and sacrifice, contains much that is alien to modern thought, yet, in its emphasis on the importance of the natural world in its mythology, still speaks poignantly to us today. A fascinating study of power, politics, war and the empire building that shaped one of the biggest and most sophisticated civilizations in history. An awe-inspiring exploration of the legends, mythology and culture of the Inca Empire and the peoples of the sun. Discover the truth behind the mystery of the Nazca lines in the desert, the Islands of the Sun and Moon in Lake Titicaca, the worship of the Inca Inti or sun king, and the cult of ritual sacrifice. 500 photographs, including statues, sculptures, paintings, maps and fine art illustrations.