Museumsportal Berlin

The impressive culture of the Incas continues to fascinate us even today - after all, in the 15th century the Inca rulers managed to conquer a gigantic region within an incredibly short period of time. Their empire encompassed more than 100 different ethnic groups in what are today Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and northern Argentina, each with different social and political organizational structures and different languages.
The section on South American archaeology has been given a new look and now examines the principles and mechanisms of imperial ideology: what was the nature of the ties between the rulers and the subdued populations? How did the Incas control and secure this immense empire up to the arrival of the Spaniards? Knotted cords the Incas used for surveying, rare fabrics, typical clay vessels, stone works and artfully crafted gold and silver works all speak of the role they played in stabilizing imperial dominance and maintaining control in the fascinating empire of the Incas.