The Incas’ Architecture
When one thinks of the Incas, the first thing coming to mind is their architecture. It seemed and it seems that the Incas’ buildings were built on the other planet. But actually they were maintained by the most skilled tribe of Meso America.
As an example of the great architecture Cuzco, the capital of the Incas’ empire, should be mentioned. The architecture of this city turned out to be the most surviving. No mortar was used to build the walls of Cuzco. As a proof of its strength in 1950 only 10% of the Cuzco’s buildings were damaged when an earthquake hit it. Another peculiarity of the Incas’ architecture was the form of the constructed buildings, though they paid much attention to the beauty as well, especially when it concerned the décor and design of the fountains. The Incas indisputably loved water.
They were moving huge stones for the distances of several kilometers easily, even nowadays it demands enormous efforts. How did they do it? How did they put together the puzzle-looked walls? Scientists throughout the world are still wondering looking for the answer. No other tribe tamed the stone completely, the Incas managed to do it. The Incas used a unique technique of stone separating.
Another thing that might single out the Incas from the other tribes in South America is their way of keeping records. Who knows maybe it’s even better than using the standard paper and pencils. The Incas used the quipu. The quipu looked like a big cord and the smaller strings. The strings had different colors and lengths. On the strings they tied knots, then making some groups of them. The decimal system of numbers was represented by those knots. It was not easy to use such kind of system, but it was accurate. Advanced mathematics and creative architecture mixed and executed the masterpieces of constructions.