The Great Inka Road: Engineering an Empire

New oversized hardcover in a new dust jacket. Pages are clean and free of marks or underlining. (9.29 x 0.9 x 11.26 inches) Includes a bibliography, glossary, index, maps, and high-quality full-color photos. 240 pp. Fast shipping in a secure book box mailer with tracking. This compelling collection of essays explores the Qhapaq nan (or Great Inca Road), an extensive network of trails reaching modern-day Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. These roads and the accompanying agricultural terraces and structures that have survived for more than six centuries are a testament to the advanced engineering and construction skills of the Inca people. The Qhapaq nan also spurred an important process of ecological and community integration across the Andean region. This book, the companion volume to a National Museum of the American Indian exhibition of the same name, features essays on six main themes: the ancestors of the Inca, Cusco as the center of the empire, road engineering, road transportation and integration, the road in the Colonial era, and the road today. Beautifully designed and featuring more than 225 full-color illustrations, The Great Inca Road is a fascinating look at this enduring symbol of the Andean peoples' strength and adaptability.