Step 1: Complete the following readings.

As you read, keep in mind your goal is to learn a bit about Incan history and culture—and particularly religion—and determine how that history and culture influenced Incan architecture, especially sacred spaces.

• “Inca empire”
• “Religion in the Inca Empire”
• “Inca mythology”
• “Machu Picchu” (more than a temple—an entire city)
• “A marvel of Inca engineering”
• “The Lost Inca Empire”
• “Inca architecture – the heart of the rock” (Note: There are five pages of this article. Also, if you’d like to learn more about the Inca, this is a good site—click around on the menus to find more information.)
• “Coricancha, the Incas’ Temple of the Sun” (considered the holiest site in Incan mythology)
• “An Archaeoastronomical Survey of Major Inca Sites in Peru”

If that link to “An Archaeoastromical Survey” doesn’t work for you, you’ll need to go to Albertsons Library website to find it. (Remember to use the off-campus sign in if you aren’t on a campus wifi network.) Simply copy and paste the article title into the search box on the library’s home page:

That search should take you to a search results page where this is the top result. Click “View Now,” which will reveal the link “View Full Text.” Click that link to view the article.

Step 2: Explore images of Machu Picchu.

• 16-Gigapixel image
• Aerial 3D panoramas – click the hiker icons to explore different viewpoints
• 360 panorama

Step 3: Answer these questions in your notes.

1. What surprised you about the Incans’ scientific, mathematical, and/or engineering abilities?
2. What role did astronomy play in the engineering of Incan structures?
3. How did the Incans’ temples reflect their habits, beliefs, and values?