Uncovering the Inca's Secrets The Science and Technology of a Lost Civilization

The Inca didn't have a written language. Instead, they used knotted cords called quipu (KEE-poo) to keep records. Experts think that things like the style of ... They left behind a wealth of art and had highly developed architecture—but no written language. The Inca also did not use the wheel as a tool. These are just a few examples of Hitachi research at the forefront of high technology. ... Incas, who did not have a European notion of time and had plenty ... The Mesoamerican civilizations were pioneers in biotechnology, having selectively bred a super-crop —corn— out of a species of local grass. • F5.4: Science and Technology in Local Challenges, including science and engineering work ... European engineers did not build this type of bridge for another ... ... have occurred because of subsequent Inca policy and occupation (table S1, fig. ... Pawlyta, S. W. Manning, When did the Incas build Machu Picchu ... The Inca also had a wide knowledge of medicinal herbs that may have been used to anesthetize patients and possibly prevent infection. Though ... The Incas lacked what many assume are essential to empire-building: writing, the wheel, a favorable climate. Still, the Incas overcame these ... This is what had brought me on the precipitous journey through the Peruvian highlands north of Lima, to the village of Huamantanga, with ... Among the many applied techniques, the impressive hydraulic engineering works stand out, including aqueducts, fountains, drainage and expansive ...