h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Wotchit!

I looked at your Incas entry. It is interesting enough, but it is only about one aspect of the Incas, their defeat by the Spaniards. I was hoping for something about the people and their customs. I don't know much about the Incas except for about four facts:

They lived in very mountainous regions, so it is no great surprise that they never invented the wheel. It would not have been any great use to them.

They didn't use writing, but recorded numbers as knots or beads on string. A courier brought these records throughout the empire, but had to remember which string applied to which thing being measured or counted.

They used a board with a grid on it and stones to record and make calculations on numbers. This was similar to an abacus but not as well designed.

They built the city of Machu Pichu high in the mountains. The stones were fitted together without mortar so closely that you can't fit a blade between them.


That's about all I know about them

All those facts are right (though I didn't know about the abacus) I'm going to add more later. I've written fully a section on the Inca System of Rule which also includes things about the culture and I'm busy writing a section on the actual conquest of Peru.
I might add another section about how the Inca culture has developed to today. I can't really tell you anything about before the Spanish conquest. Before that all we know is legends and it is believed that the Inca empire was quite young - at most 200 years old - when the Spanish invaded.

Sounds good. I'll keep an eye out for any Inca-related material I come across and post it here.

I've added the second section to my article on the Incas. Thought you might like to know.

Wotchit

Hi Gnomon

I've finished my Inca article and I've put into Peer Review, I thought you might have some comments?

Thread: F48874?thread=229762

Wotchit