The Inca civilisation was the last pre-Spanish civilisation that existed in Peru. Because of this, more is known about their way of life compared to the other earlier civilisations. Nevertheless, the Incas did not have a written language so most of our comprehension of the people are derived from the Spanish chronicles. Many aspects of their achievements and daily life are still surrounded by mystery.
The Incas worshipped the sun god, Inti. Their king (called the Inca) is believed to be the son of Inti and the people were known to be Children of the Sun. They are known for their superior architecture and masonry. Many foundations of buildings in Cusco were laid by the Incas and these survived several major earthquakes over the last few centuries. Some of the stones are over 12 feet high and weigh over 100 tonnes, as seen in the Saqsaywaman fortress just outside of Cusco. In contrast, many of the colonial structures built by the Spanish had suffered damage over the years.
What is more remarkable than the size and weight of the stones are the way they fit with each other. Some stones have more than 12 angles and one in Machu Picchu has 33 angles!
Twelve angled stone in Cusco
The puma is one of three sacred animals for the Inca. It represents the earth and the present life. The condor represents the sky and gods while the snake represents the underworld. Cusco is said to be built in the shape of a puma and you find the puma represented in many local works of art, including an entire wall. 
Can you spot the shape of the puma on this wall?
Smooth stone walls at the Qoricancha, Temple of the Sun. These stone slabs were polished and fitted to perfection by hand more than 600 years ago. They leaned slightly inwards to prevent collapse during earthquakes. Sadly these walls are all that remained of this primary temple for the Incas. It was said to be filled with life-sized gold statues of llamas and other animals, flowers, and bees moulded with the tiniest details. When the Spanish ransacked the temple and melted down all the gold and precious metal they could find, and built a Dominican monastery on top of the foundations of the temple. 
How did they ever get these in place?? Fortress of Saqsaywaman outside of Cusco. Again, each stone fitted perfectly with each other even though they were all of different size and absolutely HUGE!
How did they ever get these in place?? Fortress of Saqsaywaman outside of Cusco. Again, each stone fitted perfectly with each other even though they were all of different size and absolutely HUGE!
An old lady in Chinchero, an Andean village situated within the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The Sacred Valley is a fertile valley in the Andes region that provided most of the crops for the Inca & his people. Many of our porters on the Inca Trail are from Chinchero.
Young girl in Pisac, another popular tourist stop in the Sacred Valley 
The entrepreneurial spirit is very much alive in Cusco. This man owns a weighing scale which he charges 50 cents per use. 
Performers of the Kusikay show in Cusco promoting their event.
The colonial era La Catedral in the Plaza de Armas, the main square in Cusco.
Outside the San Blas church in Cusco
Inside the Mercado Central (Central Market), a REAL local market 
A farmer from the outskirts of Cusco bringing in her produce to sell
Quail eggs for breakfast
A typical village in the outskirts of Cusco
Moray terraces were believed to be an agricultural "laboratory" during the Inca's times. Each terrace is of a different microclimate, thus allowing the people to experiment with the cultivation of different species and types of crops such as maize and potatoes in order to achieve the optimum yields.
This picture shows the scale of these terraces, which makes their construction a rather laudable achievement. Each terrace is made of several layers of different types of materials & soil. We sat in the center of the terraces listening to an old Andean fable related by our guide, and then had a little lie-down to absorb the energy of the site.
Maras salt mines where salt is produced by evaporating the spring water from the mountains.
This shows the size of the salt pans. There are hundreds, if not thousands of these pools in various stages of evaporation. 
Salt crystallizing in one of the pools
On the way to the Maras saltmines. The area is a stunning patchwork of green, brown and red underneath a vast clear blue sky, overlooked by the imposing gray green mountain range. Breath-taking, indeed!
Ladies weaving all sorts of textiles - belts, caps, gloves, scarves, etc - in the traditional method
End products for sale
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