1
00:00:02,968 --> 00:00:04,200
[Narrator] The Incas,

2
00:00:04,334 --> 00:00:06,801
an extraordinary civilization.

3
00:00:06,934 --> 00:00:08,801
In just over 100 years,

4
00:00:08,934 --> 00:00:11,267
from the 15th
to the 16th century,

5
00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:14,033
three all-powerful emperors

6
00:00:14,167 --> 00:00:16,667
built an astonishing empire,

7
00:00:16,801 --> 00:00:20,467
the biggest the Americas
had ever seen.

8
00:00:20,601 --> 00:00:22,567
[Expert 1, translated]
The Inca state had a population

9
00:00:22,701 --> 00:00:25,934
of 9 to 12 million people.

10
00:00:26,067 --> 00:00:30,467
[Expert 2, translated] They
were highly developed people.

11
00:00:30,601 --> 00:00:31,968
[Narrator]
The Incas left behind

12
00:00:32,100 --> 00:00:35,801
monumental and intricate
traces of their genius.

13
00:00:35,934 --> 00:00:38,100
But the story
of these great people

14
00:00:38,234 --> 00:00:40,534
remains shrouded in mystery.

15
00:00:40,667 --> 00:00:42,734
Where did the Incas' wealth
come from?

16
00:00:42,868 --> 00:00:45,567
[Expert 3] They found
a lot of gold in temples.

17
00:00:45,701 --> 00:00:48,167
[Expert 4, translated]
What we see here are the marks

18
00:00:48,300 --> 00:00:50,701
made by tools
used to extract the ore.

19
00:00:50,834 --> 00:00:53,801
[Narrator] How did the empire
reach its climax?

20
00:00:53,934 --> 00:00:56,167
[Expert 5, translated] The Inca
era was an age of architects,

21
00:00:56,300 --> 00:00:59,834
engineers, and great minds,
who helped forge the empire.

22
00:00:59,968 --> 00:01:01,734
[Narrator] Thanks
to scientific advances

23
00:01:01,868 --> 00:01:04,900
and ultra-realistic
computer-generated images,

24
00:01:05,033 --> 00:01:08,567
we're going to bring this
lost civilization back to life.

25
00:01:08,701 --> 00:01:10,901
[Expert 1] These
archaeological remains

26
00:01:11,033 --> 00:01:14,501
are proof of the majesty
of the Inca state.

27
00:01:14,634 --> 00:01:18,100
[Narrator] From its mysterious
origins to its brutal fall,

28
00:01:18,234 --> 00:01:22,767
this is the incredible story
of the Empire of the Sun.

29
00:01:22,901 --> 00:01:24,601
♪ ♪

30
00:01:24,734 --> 00:01:30,200
♪ ♪

31
00:01:30,334 --> 00:01:35,467
In a valley in the heart of the
Peruvian mountains is Cusco,

32
00:01:35,601 --> 00:01:38,734
a city with thousands
of years of rich history

33
00:01:38,868 --> 00:01:42,267
still scattered
throughout its streets.

34
00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,534
At its peak
in the early 16th century,

35
00:01:45,667 --> 00:01:49,200
this metropolis was home
to over 40,000 people.

36
00:01:49,334 --> 00:01:51,968
It was the nerve center
of a powerful state,

37
00:01:52,100 --> 00:01:54,334
founded and ruled by the Incas,

38
00:01:54,467 --> 00:01:59,367
known as Tahuantinsuyu,
the Empire of Four Parts.

39
00:01:59,501 --> 00:02:01,434
[Alex Usca Baca, translated]
Cusco was the political,

40
00:02:01,567 --> 00:02:04,334
administrative, religious,
and economic capital

41
00:02:04,467 --> 00:02:06,734
of the whole of Tahuantinsuyu.

42
00:02:08,067 --> 00:02:10,567
[Narrator] 500 years ago,
the Incas created

43
00:02:10,701 --> 00:02:13,200
the largest state
on the South American continent

44
00:02:13,334 --> 00:02:15,701
in just over a century.

45
00:02:15,834 --> 00:02:18,701
From Cusco, three emperors
ruled a territory

46
00:02:18,834 --> 00:02:21,934
that stretched from
the equatorial rain forests

47
00:02:22,067 --> 00:02:23,601
to the deserts of Chile,

48
00:02:23,734 --> 00:02:26,834
controlled thanks
to a vast road network

49
00:02:26,968 --> 00:02:30,567
of over 40,000 kilometers.

50
00:02:30,701 --> 00:02:32,567
In the imperial capital,

51
00:02:32,701 --> 00:02:35,701
daily life was organized
around the main plaza,

52
00:02:35,834 --> 00:02:38,033
where ritual ceremonies,
festivals,

53
00:02:38,167 --> 00:02:40,467
and trade took place.

54
00:02:40,601 --> 00:02:44,300
♪ ♪

55
00:02:44,434 --> 00:02:46,367
[César Itier, translated]
Cusco was the central hub

56
00:02:46,501 --> 00:02:48,934
where delicacies and goods
from throughout the Inca empire

57
00:02:49,067 --> 00:02:50,267
were gathered.

58
00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:51,868
It served as a place
of reception

59
00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,267
where valuable items
were consolidated

60
00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,734
and also as a center
for their redistribution.

61
00:02:59,434 --> 00:03:00,601
[Narrator] Temples and palaces

62
00:03:00,734 --> 00:03:03,667
overflowed
with gold and silver.

63
00:03:03,801 --> 00:03:05,968
And the legendary fortune
of the Incas

64
00:03:06,100 --> 00:03:09,601
spread beyond their borders.

65
00:03:09,734 --> 00:03:13,000
[Ulla Holmquist Pachas]
The legend of El Dorado,

66
00:03:13,133 --> 00:03:18,567
it comes from rumors of a
kingdom where gold was abundant.

67
00:03:18,701 --> 00:03:19,734
[Dominika Sieczkowska]
At this time,

68
00:03:19,868 --> 00:03:22,801
when the Spaniards
learned about the El Dorado,

69
00:03:22,934 --> 00:03:28,501
they were told that there was
a very wealthy country

70
00:03:28,634 --> 00:03:32,501
with a lot of gold
somewhere hidden in the jungle.

71
00:03:32,634 --> 00:03:34,834
They wanted to find it.

72
00:03:34,968 --> 00:03:37,234
[Narrator] This myth
of El Dorado enticed

73
00:03:37,367 --> 00:03:41,467
the Spanish conquerors
to invade ancient Peru.

74
00:03:41,601 --> 00:03:45,133
When they arrived in 1533,
the chronicles recounted

75
00:03:45,267 --> 00:03:49,767
their amazement at the wealth
accumulated in Cusco.

76
00:03:52,667 --> 00:03:55,467
The Spaniards were amazed
by the Coricancha,

77
00:03:55,601 --> 00:03:57,501
the main temple,

78
00:03:57,634 --> 00:04:00,033
with its gardens dotted
with golden statues

79
00:04:00,167 --> 00:04:04,601
of maize and llamas,
walls clad in gold plates,

80
00:04:04,734 --> 00:04:07,868
and rooms filled
with precious minerals.

81
00:04:11,100 --> 00:04:14,367
They also discovered the
finest textiles and ceramics

82
00:04:14,501 --> 00:04:16,868
on the American continent.

83
00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:22,968
But the only wealth they were
interested in was Inca gold.

84
00:04:23,100 --> 00:04:27,334
[Pachas] When we talk
about the gold of the Incas,

85
00:04:27,467 --> 00:04:33,133
we are referring to the gold
of the Andean region.

86
00:04:33,267 --> 00:04:34,767
[Narrator]
Since the dawn of time,

87
00:04:34,901 --> 00:04:38,701
Andean people have mastered
the art of casting, molding,

88
00:04:38,834 --> 00:04:40,801
and alloying precious metals.

89
00:04:40,934 --> 00:04:45,434
[Francisco Garrido, translated]
This is made of gold on the top

90
00:04:45,567 --> 00:04:50,567
and silver on the bottom
and has a soldered seam.

91
00:04:52,868 --> 00:04:58,434
This is just one example of how
the Incas mastered metallurgy

92
00:04:58,567 --> 00:05:05,367
and influenced a long practiced
Andean art across their empire.

93
00:05:06,801 --> 00:05:10,033
[Narrator] How in a few decades
did the empire become

94
00:05:10,167 --> 00:05:14,434
one of the richest
in the world?

95
00:05:14,567 --> 00:05:20,167
[Baca] During the last Inca
government led by Huayna Cápac,

96
00:05:20,300 --> 00:05:23,767
the empire reached
its peak splendor.

97
00:05:26,234 --> 00:05:27,601
[Narrator] Huayna Cápac was

98
00:05:27,734 --> 00:05:31,968
in power for over 30 years.

99
00:05:32,100 --> 00:05:33,701
His father was the greatest

100
00:05:33,834 --> 00:05:37,300
Inca conqueror, Tupac Yupanqui.

101
00:05:37,434 --> 00:05:38,968
And his grandfather

102
00:05:39,100 --> 00:05:40,634
was Pachacutec.

103
00:05:42,601 --> 00:05:46,567
[Baca] They expanded into
regions that now make up

104
00:05:46,701 --> 00:05:51,033
much of the countries
of South America.

105
00:05:51,167 --> 00:05:53,868
[Sieczkowska] When the new king
was making the power,

106
00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,734
he had to conquer new areas,
both for his family,

107
00:05:57,868 --> 00:06:01,400
but also to show
how strong he is.

108
00:06:03,267 --> 00:06:05,000
[Narrator] Huayna Cápac
was no exception

109
00:06:05,133 --> 00:06:07,434
to this warrior tradition.

110
00:06:07,567 --> 00:06:10,767
He began his reign and led
campaigns in the north,

111
00:06:10,901 --> 00:06:13,767
extending the borders
of his empire.

112
00:06:13,901 --> 00:06:19,434
♪ ♪

113
00:06:19,567 --> 00:06:21,968
Conquered populations
were forced to devote

114
00:06:22,100 --> 00:06:25,434
part of their time
to working for the empire,

115
00:06:25,567 --> 00:06:28,534
constructing buildings,
roads, and bridges,

116
00:06:28,667 --> 00:06:30,534
or working in the fields.

117
00:06:30,667 --> 00:06:34,300
This labor tax made
the elites of Cusco rich,

118
00:06:34,434 --> 00:06:36,667
but how was it made compulsory?

119
00:06:36,801 --> 00:06:39,167
How could all these people
be forced to work

120
00:06:39,300 --> 00:06:41,200
for Huayna Cápac?

121
00:06:41,334 --> 00:06:45,667
[Itier] There wasn't a police
force or an omnipresent army.

122
00:06:45,801 --> 00:06:47,133
It was a state
that was fairly weak

123
00:06:47,267 --> 00:06:51,334
and that needed to convince,
beg, demand, and offer payment

124
00:06:51,467 --> 00:06:54,634
in exchange for this work.

125
00:06:58,534 --> 00:06:59,767
[Narrator] From the beginning,

126
00:06:59,901 --> 00:07:03,734
the Inca Empire was based
on a social pact.

127
00:07:03,868 --> 00:07:05,334
In exchange for labor,

128
00:07:05,467 --> 00:07:09,801
the state would feed
the entire population.

129
00:07:09,934 --> 00:07:12,200
On inheriting
the immense kingdom,

130
00:07:12,334 --> 00:07:16,133
Huayna Cápac's first challenge
was to honor this social pact

131
00:07:16,267 --> 00:07:18,667
over his expanded territory.

132
00:07:18,801 --> 00:07:24,000
But between rugged valleys
over 3,000 meters high,

133
00:07:24,133 --> 00:07:28,534
jungle-covered mountains,
and endless deserts,

134
00:07:28,667 --> 00:07:31,634
living conditions were extreme.

135
00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:36,801
[Feren Castillo Luján,
translated] Since 4000 B.C.,

136
00:07:36,934 --> 00:07:39,567
we know that all societies
on the northern coast

137
00:07:39,701 --> 00:07:42,400
have been affected
by climate-related phenomena

138
00:07:42,534 --> 00:07:46,033
such as El Niño and also
by seismic phenomena

139
00:07:46,167 --> 00:07:48,067
such as earthquakes.

140
00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:52,167
Peru is a very seismic country.

141
00:07:53,934 --> 00:07:56,634
[Narrator] On the Pacific
coast is Chan Chan,

142
00:07:56,767 --> 00:07:58,901
the former capital
of a great kingdom

143
00:07:59,033 --> 00:08:03,567
that was conquered
by Huayna Cápac's father.

144
00:08:03,701 --> 00:08:07,667
Here, the Chimú people
were severely impacted

145
00:08:07,801 --> 00:08:10,067
by the El Niño
climate phenomenon,

146
00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:16,100
which brought heavy rains
and catastrophic flooding.

147
00:08:16,234 --> 00:08:19,934
[Luján] Between 1250 and 1450,

148
00:08:20,067 --> 00:08:23,300
the Chimú faced
a constant climatic crisis

149
00:08:23,434 --> 00:08:28,133
caused by
the El Niño phenomenon.

150
00:08:28,267 --> 00:08:32,133
It is very likely that the
biggest event occurred in 1450

151
00:08:32,267 --> 00:08:37,767
when torrential rains and
mudslides flooded the palaces.

152
00:08:37,900 --> 00:08:44,534
It destroyed the canals
and created a food crisis.

153
00:08:46,734 --> 00:08:49,267
[Narrator] Devastated
by the torrential rains,

154
00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,133
Chan Chan was later
invaded by the Incas

155
00:08:52,267 --> 00:08:55,334
and never regained
its stronghold.

156
00:08:55,467 --> 00:08:58,634
In the Andes,
nature can wreak havoc.

157
00:09:00,467 --> 00:09:04,601
[Luján] One of the greatest
attributes of the Incas

158
00:09:04,734 --> 00:09:07,734
is that, through conquest,
they were able to adapt

159
00:09:07,868 --> 00:09:12,100
to different environments, from
the dry coast to the deserts,

160
00:09:12,234 --> 00:09:16,701
from the high mountains
to the salt flats.

161
00:09:18,033 --> 00:09:22,601
This engineering ability
made the Incas a great society.

162
00:09:24,100 --> 00:09:29,133
[Narrator] How did the Incas
tame these hostile landscapes

163
00:09:29,267 --> 00:09:32,734
and feed
over 10 million people?

164
00:09:35,300 --> 00:09:39,934
♪ ♪

165
00:09:40,067 --> 00:09:41,634
[Narrator] North of Cusco,

166
00:09:41,767 --> 00:09:45,300
in the sacred valley
of the Urubamba River,

167
00:09:45,434 --> 00:09:48,834
a pivotal development
was under way--

168
00:09:48,968 --> 00:09:51,100
new farming techniques.

169
00:09:53,601 --> 00:09:55,100
[Itier]
While the various peoples

170
00:09:55,234 --> 00:09:56,667
of the other Andean lands
were immersed

171
00:09:56,801 --> 00:10:00,300
in local conflicts during
the 13th and 14th centuries,

172
00:10:00,434 --> 00:10:01,968
the Incas in the Cusco region

173
00:10:02,100 --> 00:10:04,000
developed
irrigation agriculture,

174
00:10:04,133 --> 00:10:07,634
learning to build terraces,
irrigation canals,

175
00:10:07,767 --> 00:10:11,667
and infrastructures that enabled
them to intensify production.

176
00:10:11,801 --> 00:10:15,534
They accumulated knowledge
in this area.

177
00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,400
[Narrator] On the heights
of the Sacred Valley,

178
00:10:19,534 --> 00:10:24,801
steep slopes are sculpted
by thousands of parallel lines.

179
00:10:24,934 --> 00:10:29,400
These are the Andean terraces,
a spectacular demonstration

180
00:10:29,534 --> 00:10:33,567
of the skills
of the Inca builders.

181
00:10:33,701 --> 00:10:35,801
The most majestic platforms

182
00:10:35,934 --> 00:10:39,667
are those on the slopes
of Machu Picchu.

183
00:10:39,801 --> 00:10:43,934
Built early in the 15th century
by Huayna Cápac's grandfather,

184
00:10:44,067 --> 00:10:49,000
this complex of 700 terraces
was an administrative hub,

185
00:10:49,133 --> 00:10:53,367
a religious site, and
a dynamic production center,

186
00:10:53,501 --> 00:10:57,033
with a whole district
dedicated to agriculture.

187
00:10:58,934 --> 00:11:00,534
[Julio Córdova Valer,
translated] The construction

188
00:11:00,667 --> 00:11:03,067
of agricultural land
is very different

189
00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:07,334
from urban land with housing.

190
00:11:07,467 --> 00:11:10,701
The stones here
are native to the area.

191
00:11:10,834 --> 00:11:14,667
They are granite,
which is pretty hard.

192
00:11:14,801 --> 00:11:17,767
But between the stones
are permanent gaps

193
00:11:17,901 --> 00:11:23,501
so that heat, wind,
and water can circulate.

194
00:11:23,634 --> 00:11:26,934
None of this was sealed.

195
00:11:28,868 --> 00:11:31,534
[Narrator] To overcome
the uneven terrain,

196
00:11:31,667 --> 00:11:33,968
the builders dug
into the mountain

197
00:11:34,100 --> 00:11:38,934
and erected two-to-four-meter-
high rows of stone walls.

198
00:11:41,033 --> 00:11:45,467
Between the walls, cavities
are filled with coarse pebbles,

199
00:11:45,601 --> 00:11:47,767
a mixture of sand and rubble,

200
00:11:47,901 --> 00:11:52,968
and a layer of fresh earth
to help drain water.

201
00:11:53,100 --> 00:11:55,934
To ensure the stability
of buildings above,

202
00:11:56,067 --> 00:12:00,033
the walls are compact, but
pierced with drainage holes.

203
00:12:02,267 --> 00:12:04,334
In the agricultural terraces,

204
00:12:04,467 --> 00:12:06,534
the stones in the walls
are spaced out

205
00:12:06,667 --> 00:12:08,767
to allow the water to run off

206
00:12:08,901 --> 00:12:12,234
and irrigate
the lower platform.

207
00:12:12,367 --> 00:12:13,901
In a volatile region,

208
00:12:14,067 --> 00:12:18,701
these foundations
can withstand landslides.

209
00:12:18,834 --> 00:12:23,000
[Valer] We're in the jungle,
and it rains a lot here.

210
00:12:23,133 --> 00:12:26,667
The function of the agricultural
terraces is to allow the water

211
00:12:26,801 --> 00:12:28,934
to filter through
and not settle.

212
00:12:29,067 --> 00:12:32,467
The water flows constantly,
and if there's a lot of it,

213
00:12:32,601 --> 00:12:36,334
it comes out through
the gaps in the stones.

214
00:12:38,534 --> 00:12:40,601
[Narrator] Thanks
to these terraces,

215
00:12:40,734 --> 00:12:43,434
the Incas created
almost five hectares

216
00:12:43,567 --> 00:12:46,501
of arable land
on the cliff side.

217
00:12:46,634 --> 00:12:48,834
[Valer] It's a technique
that the Incas perfected,

218
00:12:48,968 --> 00:12:53,133
but it already existed
in the Andean world.

219
00:12:53,267 --> 00:12:55,767
[Narrator] Agricultural
engineering was a key skill

220
00:12:55,901 --> 00:12:59,300
for the Incas, but it
was not their only one.

221
00:12:59,434 --> 00:13:02,334
They were outstanding farmers.

222
00:13:04,334 --> 00:13:07,000
The local diet
was rich and varied,

223
00:13:07,133 --> 00:13:10,100
evident through the various
pre-Hispanic potteries

224
00:13:10,234 --> 00:13:11,901
found throughout Peru.

225
00:13:12,033 --> 00:13:17,467
The staple foods were quinoa
and, above all, maize.

226
00:13:17,601 --> 00:13:22,367
[Pachas] This product
is used to produce

227
00:13:22,501 --> 00:13:25,434
a drink called chicha...

228
00:13:25,567 --> 00:13:28,334
[speaking Spanish]

229
00:13:28,467 --> 00:13:30,534
...which is a corn beer

230
00:13:30,667 --> 00:13:33,567
used as a liquid food

231
00:13:33,701 --> 00:13:38,968
and which was offered
to build bonds.

232
00:13:39,100 --> 00:13:43,033
In the Inca era,
at every ceremony and meeting,

233
00:13:43,167 --> 00:13:48,868
there was always an exchange
or delivery of chicha

234
00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,801
by the heads of the authorities.

235
00:13:54,634 --> 00:13:56,701
[Narrator] As well
as seeds and grains,

236
00:13:56,834 --> 00:14:02,267
Andean farmers also grew
vegetables and tropical fruit.

237
00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:07,501
[Pachas] The wide variety
of crops grown

238
00:14:07,634 --> 00:14:10,968
and the way in which they
supplemented food supplies

239
00:14:11,100 --> 00:14:17,133
shows that they had a great
deal of technical knowledge.

240
00:14:20,501 --> 00:14:22,501
[Narrator] To cultivate
this diversity of foods

241
00:14:22,634 --> 00:14:24,267
throughout the empire,

242
00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:26,701
the Incas perfected
their techniques,

243
00:14:26,834 --> 00:14:30,734
treating the varied land
as a laboratory.

244
00:14:30,868 --> 00:14:33,601
Between Cusco and Machu Picchu,

245
00:14:33,734 --> 00:14:37,000
at an altitude of 3,500 meters

246
00:14:37,133 --> 00:14:40,934
the Moray terraces are unique.

247
00:14:41,067 --> 00:14:45,801
Concentric rings form
three huge amphitheaters.

248
00:14:48,300 --> 00:14:52,901
With this funnel-shaped layout,
the soil on the lowest level,

249
00:14:53,033 --> 00:14:57,968
protected from wind, is warmer
than that on the highest level.

250
00:15:00,067 --> 00:15:03,033
Each offers
a different microclimate.

251
00:15:03,167 --> 00:15:08,067
♪ ♪

252
00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:09,801
Thanks to these terraces,

253
00:15:09,934 --> 00:15:12,467
the Incas were able
to cultivate plant species

254
00:15:12,601 --> 00:15:18,367
from across South America,
even without plow animals.

255
00:15:18,501 --> 00:15:20,734
Drawings from
the early 17th century

256
00:15:20,868 --> 00:15:25,367
show their rudimentary
but effective tools.

257
00:15:27,767 --> 00:15:30,234
[Itier] They even
invented a new tool,

258
00:15:30,367 --> 00:15:32,701
the foot spade,
which, when plowing,

259
00:15:32,834 --> 00:15:36,534
enabled earth to be
lifted more efficiently.

260
00:15:36,667 --> 00:15:38,734
This tool played a key role
in the intensification

261
00:15:38,868 --> 00:15:42,367
and agricultural success
of the Incas.

262
00:15:43,601 --> 00:15:46,234
[Narrator] With their new
techniques and knowledge,

263
00:15:46,367 --> 00:15:48,767
the Incas revolutionized
agriculture

264
00:15:48,901 --> 00:15:50,801
throughout the empire.

265
00:15:50,934 --> 00:15:53,334
[Itier] Traditionally
in the Andes,

266
00:15:53,467 --> 00:15:55,133
there was a lunar calendar.

267
00:15:55,267 --> 00:15:57,400
But the Incas invented
a solar calendar,

268
00:15:57,534 --> 00:15:59,300
which had the advantage
of being more accurate

269
00:15:59,434 --> 00:16:03,367
for agriculture
and easier to use.

270
00:16:04,701 --> 00:16:06,934
[Narrator] This division
of the year is similar

271
00:16:07,067 --> 00:16:10,501
to our modern solar calendar.

272
00:16:10,634 --> 00:16:14,467
But how did they manage to
pinpoint the changing months?

273
00:16:17,267 --> 00:16:20,701
♪ ♪

274
00:16:20,834 --> 00:16:26,334
[Sieczkowska] The Incas had
very precise astronomical tools.

275
00:16:26,467 --> 00:16:29,634
We suspect that
in different Inca cities,

276
00:16:29,767 --> 00:16:32,367
there were
several observatories,

277
00:16:32,501 --> 00:16:34,534
but we don't have traces of it.

278
00:16:34,667 --> 00:16:39,567
So those astronomical tools that
we have here in the Machu Picchu

279
00:16:39,701 --> 00:16:43,767
are the best preserved
and well-studied.

280
00:16:47,801 --> 00:16:49,734
[Narrator] The structures
of Machu Picchu

281
00:16:49,868 --> 00:16:53,734
are built according to the sky.

282
00:16:53,868 --> 00:16:56,534
In many buildings,
the doors and windows

283
00:16:56,667 --> 00:17:00,300
are precisely oriented
towards the moon, Venus,

284
00:17:00,434 --> 00:17:04,233
and most importantly, the sun.

285
00:17:04,367 --> 00:17:05,968
In the Temple of the Sun,

286
00:17:06,099 --> 00:17:09,834
two windows marked
the major seasonal changes,

287
00:17:09,968 --> 00:17:14,767
at the solstices
in June and December.

288
00:17:14,901 --> 00:17:19,367
Of all the buildings dedicated
to astronomical observation,

289
00:17:19,501 --> 00:17:24,634
the most fascinating
and mysterious is Intihuatana.

290
00:17:26,166 --> 00:17:28,233
[Alicia Fernández Flórez,
translated] The Intihuatana

291
00:17:28,367 --> 00:17:31,133
was used to observe
the movement of the stars,

292
00:17:31,267 --> 00:17:32,868
particularly the sun,

293
00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:36,634
to determine the winter
and summer solstices.

294
00:17:36,767 --> 00:17:42,701
It measured the movement of
the sun and the shadows it cast.

295
00:17:42,834 --> 00:17:48,067
♪ ♪

296
00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,000
[Narrator] On the promontory
overlooking the whole city,

297
00:17:51,133 --> 00:17:55,801
in the center of the plaza,
sits the Intihuatana,

298
00:17:55,934 --> 00:17:57,133
a sculpted rock

299
00:17:57,267 --> 00:18:00,200
with a carefully carved
block on top.

300
00:18:00,334 --> 00:18:02,634
This carved stone
is at the center

301
00:18:02,767 --> 00:18:05,501
of a colossal solar calendar,

302
00:18:05,634 --> 00:18:09,100
where the surrounding peaks
served as reference points

303
00:18:09,234 --> 00:18:11,634
for Inca scholars
to track the sun

304
00:18:11,767 --> 00:18:13,834
and the time of the year.

305
00:18:13,968 --> 00:18:17,267
[Flórez] The Incas' entourage
was made up of priests

306
00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,968
and various members
of the elites.

307
00:18:20,100 --> 00:18:22,367
They were specialists
dedicated to this type

308
00:18:22,501 --> 00:18:25,434
of astronomical observation.

309
00:18:25,567 --> 00:18:27,100
They weren't just anybody,

310
00:18:27,234 --> 00:18:31,400
as this required
a level of training.

311
00:18:33,667 --> 00:18:36,534
[Narrator] Some researchers
suspect a temple

312
00:18:36,667 --> 00:18:38,801
in the lower part
of Machu Picchu

313
00:18:38,934 --> 00:18:41,467
housed a research
and training center

314
00:18:41,601 --> 00:18:44,601
for the astronomers
in charge of the calendar.

315
00:18:46,434 --> 00:18:49,801
[Sieczkowska] They were able
to follow the calendar

316
00:18:49,934 --> 00:18:53,901
both for agricultural,
ritual aspect.

317
00:18:54,033 --> 00:18:56,734
Everything that they had
accomplished during the year

318
00:18:56,868 --> 00:18:59,701
was thanks to
the astronomical observations.

319
00:19:03,334 --> 00:19:06,834
[Narrator] Emperor Huayna Cápac
was the master of the harvest,

320
00:19:06,968 --> 00:19:09,400
but he also controlled
another essential element

321
00:19:09,534 --> 00:19:11,934
of agriculture and daily life.

322
00:19:12,067 --> 00:19:13,634
[Alexei Vranich]
In an environment as volatile

323
00:19:13,767 --> 00:19:16,434
as the Andes, water
is both life and death.

324
00:19:16,567 --> 00:19:17,767
You need it to grow things.

325
00:19:17,901 --> 00:19:21,634
But also there's periods of,
of El Niño, for example,

326
00:19:21,767 --> 00:19:23,534
where water
can destroy everything.

327
00:19:23,667 --> 00:19:25,334
If you can control water,

328
00:19:25,467 --> 00:19:27,601
if you can show people
you control water,

329
00:19:27,734 --> 00:19:29,534
you control the universe.

330
00:19:32,901 --> 00:19:34,968
[Narrator] How did
the Incas manage to become

331
00:19:35,100 --> 00:19:37,601
masters of water, too?

332
00:19:37,734 --> 00:19:42,133
♪ ♪

333
00:19:42,267 --> 00:19:45,701
[Sieczkowska] There are water
fountains, water channels.

334
00:19:45,834 --> 00:19:46,834
There are terraces.

335
00:19:46,968 --> 00:19:49,334
There are many structures
that are not visible.

336
00:19:49,467 --> 00:19:51,701
They are under the vegetation.

337
00:19:53,767 --> 00:19:57,100
[Narrator] Archaeologist
Dominika Sieczkowska recently

338
00:19:57,234 --> 00:19:59,567
explored the Chachabamba site,

339
00:19:59,701 --> 00:20:04,834
where only a few buildings
have been excavated.

340
00:20:04,968 --> 00:20:07,167
[Sieczkowska] Chachabamba
is a very special place

341
00:20:07,300 --> 00:20:12,834
because it was a stopping point
between Cusco and Machu Picchu.

342
00:20:12,968 --> 00:20:15,634
The pilgrims that were going
to Machu Picchu itself

343
00:20:15,767 --> 00:20:20,534
had to stop here and take role
in ritual ablutions

344
00:20:20,667 --> 00:20:22,601
related to the water.

345
00:20:24,033 --> 00:20:26,133
[Narrator] These Inca
buildings are surrounded

346
00:20:26,267 --> 00:20:30,834
by two stretches of grass
that descend in terraces.

347
00:20:30,968 --> 00:20:34,434
The ground is hollowed out
by interconnected canals

348
00:20:34,601 --> 00:20:38,167
that form 14 channels.

349
00:20:38,300 --> 00:20:41,067
[Sieczkowska] The water was
coming from the upper part,

350
00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:42,467
through the tunnel system,

351
00:20:42,601 --> 00:20:47,000
and was flowing through here
to this small pool.

352
00:20:47,133 --> 00:20:49,734
And the Incas
were taking possibly

353
00:20:49,868 --> 00:20:53,367
their ritual bath here,
downstairs.

354
00:20:55,467 --> 00:20:58,033
[Narrator] To better see
the overgrown complex,

355
00:20:58,167 --> 00:21:00,234
scientists scanned the site

356
00:21:00,367 --> 00:21:02,601
with a drone equipped
with lidar

357
00:21:02,734 --> 00:21:05,501
to peer beneath the vegetation.

358
00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:10,000
[Sieczkowska]
Thanks to lidar images,

359
00:21:10,133 --> 00:21:13,934
I will have a digital model
of the terrain,

360
00:21:14,067 --> 00:21:18,067
and I will find some terraces,

361
00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:21,167
some remains
of the Inca presence

362
00:21:21,300 --> 00:21:23,868
in the different sectors
under the vegetation.

363
00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:29,467
And then after processing and
filtering the 3D point cloud,

364
00:21:29,601 --> 00:21:32,868
we can look
for the remains itself.

365
00:21:35,300 --> 00:21:36,901
[Narrator]
This analysis provides

366
00:21:37,033 --> 00:21:40,334
a three-dimensional image
of each Inca building,

367
00:21:40,467 --> 00:21:44,534
enabling us to map
the hydraulic system.

368
00:21:44,667 --> 00:21:48,734
The water flows from the river
via a main canal,

369
00:21:48,868 --> 00:21:52,934
then is diverted
into six secondary channels.

370
00:21:53,067 --> 00:21:55,267
They pass through six fountains

371
00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,767
before flowing on
to eight basins.

372
00:21:58,901 --> 00:22:02,267
This sophisticated network
was calibrated to maintain

373
00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:06,868
a low, constant flow
for sacred bathing.

374
00:22:08,968 --> 00:22:12,567
[Sieczkowska] The Incas adapt
the terrain, the channels,

375
00:22:12,701 --> 00:22:15,434
and everything what they
found in Chachabamba,

376
00:22:15,567 --> 00:22:18,601
to the exact amount of water
and what they wanted.

377
00:22:18,734 --> 00:22:24,501
It means they wanted originally
to have very limited water flow,

378
00:22:24,634 --> 00:22:28,467
and they planned
and control it perfectly.

379
00:22:30,467 --> 00:22:33,901
[Narrator] To control water
and supply unique sites

380
00:22:34,033 --> 00:22:35,534
such as Machu Picchu,

381
00:22:35,667 --> 00:22:41,167
engineers designed
tailor-made hydraulic networks.

382
00:22:41,300 --> 00:22:43,367
[Flórez] In the initial planning

383
00:22:43,501 --> 00:22:46,801
for the constructions of
the Inca city of Machu Picchu,

384
00:22:46,934 --> 00:22:49,467
one of the most important
considerations

385
00:22:49,601 --> 00:22:51,434
was providing fresh water.

386
00:22:51,567 --> 00:22:54,767
They did this by means
of the collection canal,

387
00:22:54,901 --> 00:22:57,367
which can be seen here.

388
00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:00,734
[Narrator]
Drinking water was drawn

389
00:23:00,868 --> 00:23:03,667
from an upstream spring
in the mountains

390
00:23:03,801 --> 00:23:07,834
and flowed down this
700-meter-long channel.

391
00:23:09,667 --> 00:23:12,334
[Flórez] It has an average
width of 15 centimeters

392
00:23:12,467 --> 00:23:14,501
and a depth of 20 centimeters,

393
00:23:14,634 --> 00:23:17,834
and water is channeled through
it to the urban Inca city.

394
00:23:17,968 --> 00:23:24,234
♪ ♪

395
00:23:24,367 --> 00:23:26,100
[Narrator]
In the Sacred Valley,

396
00:23:26,234 --> 00:23:31,367
each Inca settlement has its
own water management system,

397
00:23:31,501 --> 00:23:34,634
some of which are still
in operation today.

398
00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,667
Despite its isolated position,

399
00:23:40,801 --> 00:23:43,901
it was at Machu Picchu
that the Incas perfected

400
00:23:44,033 --> 00:23:48,000
agriculture, astronomy,
and hydraulics.

401
00:23:52,667 --> 00:23:54,267
[Narrator] The Inca Empire
brought its knowledge

402
00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:56,267
to the conquered peoples

403
00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:59,167
in exchange
for their collective labor.

404
00:23:59,300 --> 00:24:04,167
In this way, the empire
respected its social pact.

405
00:24:04,300 --> 00:24:08,968
But this fundamental system of
reciprocity did not stop there.

406
00:24:10,834 --> 00:24:12,334
[Vranich] When they
came into an area,

407
00:24:12,467 --> 00:24:15,534
they completely redesigned it,
they terraformed it.

408
00:24:15,667 --> 00:24:19,200
Now, part of that was to teach
this method to other people.

409
00:24:19,334 --> 00:24:20,400
But, of course,
they want to make it

410
00:24:20,534 --> 00:24:22,033
much more productive
for their own.

411
00:24:22,167 --> 00:24:24,868
[Marcela Sepulveda, translated]
The Inca conquest was really

412
00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,667
a great system that was put
in place to take possession

413
00:24:27,801 --> 00:24:33,033
of everything desirable
and useful to the empire.

414
00:24:35,067 --> 00:24:37,067
[Narrator] But how did
the Incas get their hands

415
00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:41,734
on the most strategic
and inaccessible resources?

416
00:24:45,434 --> 00:24:49,000
This 3,000-meter-high plateau

417
00:24:49,133 --> 00:24:52,701
dotted with vegetation
and wildlife

418
00:24:52,834 --> 00:24:56,133
is the Turi oasis.

419
00:24:56,267 --> 00:24:58,000
[Sepulveda] One of
the unique features

420
00:24:58,133 --> 00:25:00,434
of this microenvironment
in the middle of the desert

421
00:25:00,567 --> 00:25:04,601
is the potential for underground
water to rise to the surface.

422
00:25:07,868 --> 00:25:09,501
[Narrator] Thanks
to desert springs,

423
00:25:09,634 --> 00:25:11,501
the Turi oasis
has been occupied

424
00:25:11,634 --> 00:25:14,300
for thousands of years.

425
00:25:14,434 --> 00:25:17,267
Ruins of 600
scattered buildings

426
00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:18,734
are the remains of a village

427
00:25:18,868 --> 00:25:23,100
built long before
the arrival of the Incas.

428
00:25:23,234 --> 00:25:26,634
[Sepulveda]
The Incas settled here

429
00:25:26,767 --> 00:25:29,033
and took control
by accepting gifts

430
00:25:29,167 --> 00:25:33,934
of whatever the local
population could provide.

431
00:25:36,100 --> 00:25:38,667
[Narrator] The imperial
officials first desired

432
00:25:38,801 --> 00:25:41,667
camelids,
the llamas and alpacas

433
00:25:41,801 --> 00:25:46,400
that fed on
the high-altitude pastures.

434
00:25:46,534 --> 00:25:47,601
[Sepulveda] During Inca times,

435
00:25:47,734 --> 00:25:50,367
there were around
10,000 to 20,000 animals

436
00:25:50,501 --> 00:25:55,701
living in this area.

437
00:25:55,834 --> 00:25:59,334
In the Andean region,
there were no plows, no wheels,

438
00:25:59,467 --> 00:26:02,334
no domesticated animals,
so camelids were

439
00:26:02,467 --> 00:26:07,667
the most important species
to carry resources.

440
00:26:09,501 --> 00:26:11,868
[Narrator] These herds
are essential for transport,

441
00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:15,934
as well as for wool,
meat, and fertilizer.

442
00:26:16,067 --> 00:26:20,200
But they are not the only
source of wealth in the area.

443
00:26:20,334 --> 00:26:24,300
[Garrido] The Incas
took over the process

444
00:26:24,434 --> 00:26:26,400
of extracting mineral deposits

445
00:26:26,534 --> 00:26:29,067
and transformed them.

446
00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:30,601
They introduced
their own engineering

447
00:26:30,734 --> 00:26:35,567
and in many cases
increased production.

448
00:26:35,701 --> 00:26:40,434
[Narrator] The Atacama Desert
is abundant in minerals.

449
00:26:40,567 --> 00:26:45,167
Huayna Cápac benefited from
deposits of gold and silver,

450
00:26:45,300 --> 00:26:48,767
as well as copper,
a strategic mineral

451
00:26:48,901 --> 00:26:52,868
used to make jewelry,
tools, and weapons.

452
00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:56,934
♪ ♪

453
00:26:57,067 --> 00:26:59,100
In the vastness of the desert,

454
00:26:59,234 --> 00:27:04,868
traces of these former mining
operations are hard to spot.

455
00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:08,567
But not far from Turi,
above a deep canyon,

456
00:27:08,701 --> 00:27:13,834
archaeologist Marcela Sepulveda
has just identified a site

457
00:27:13,968 --> 00:27:16,634
that reveals Inca methods.

458
00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:23,033
[Sepulveda] Here we find
a slightly semicircular shape,

459
00:27:23,167 --> 00:27:25,601
and we can see straightaway
that this group of stones

460
00:27:25,734 --> 00:27:31,100
was part of a wall that has,
in fact, completely collapsed.

461
00:27:31,234 --> 00:27:33,200
[Narrator]
These piles of stones,

462
00:27:33,334 --> 00:27:35,968
almost invisible
to the untrained eye,

463
00:27:36,100 --> 00:27:40,434
are the remains of eight
small, rudimentary houses.

464
00:27:40,567 --> 00:27:44,334
[Sepulveda] We were able to
excavate, and in one structure

465
00:27:44,467 --> 00:27:48,000
we found that the floor
was actually much lower.

466
00:27:48,133 --> 00:27:50,834
The walls are no higher
than 40 to 50 centimeters,

467
00:27:50,968 --> 00:27:52,734
so the people
lived in the basement

468
00:27:52,868 --> 00:27:54,634
and probably had roofing
made of skins

469
00:27:54,767 --> 00:28:01,133
or other perishable elements,
as no other remains were found.

470
00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,434
[Narrator] The excavations
also unearthed

471
00:28:05,567 --> 00:28:09,467
numerous fragments of pottery.

472
00:28:09,601 --> 00:28:12,734
[Sepulveda] This fragment
corresponds to a piece of bowl,

473
00:28:12,868 --> 00:28:14,133
a piece of ceramic.

474
00:28:14,267 --> 00:28:16,067
It's a characteristic
plate and shape

475
00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:18,501
linked to Inca expansion
in the region.

476
00:28:18,634 --> 00:28:22,767
This shape isn't found
among local populations.

477
00:28:22,901 --> 00:28:24,868
[Narrator] Dating
of these remains indicates

478
00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,334
a human presence here
more than 1,000 years

479
00:28:28,467 --> 00:28:31,267
before the arrival
of the Incas.

480
00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:34,567
But this site was not
a permanent settlement.

481
00:28:34,701 --> 00:28:38,167
[Sepulveda]
There isn't a graveyard.

482
00:28:38,300 --> 00:28:39,868
There isn't much water.

483
00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:43,501
You have to travel 400 meters
down to fetch water.

484
00:28:43,634 --> 00:28:47,334
So this site is linked to a
temporary activity or practice,

485
00:28:47,467 --> 00:28:49,567
and only a small number
of people lived here,

486
00:28:49,701 --> 00:28:54,334
and they came
for very specific tasks.

487
00:28:54,467 --> 00:28:57,200
[Narrator] What resources
were the Incas looking for

488
00:28:57,334 --> 00:28:59,834
in such a hostile place?

489
00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:06,400
[Narrator] The ground still
bears mysterious red marks,

490
00:29:06,534 --> 00:29:10,267
a clue that leads
to the base of the ravine,

491
00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:13,400
to a human-carved hole
in the rock.

492
00:29:16,067 --> 00:29:20,033
[Sepulveda] We don't know
the extent of the interior,

493
00:29:20,167 --> 00:29:22,067
but we can see
from the cliff base

494
00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:23,400
that there are other openings

495
00:29:23,534 --> 00:29:28,167
about 20 or 30 meters
down the valley.

496
00:29:28,300 --> 00:29:29,968
This was a very large mine

497
00:29:30,100 --> 00:29:33,067
with various extraction shafts.

498
00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:35,267
In fact, you can see
the shapes left by the tools

499
00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:39,067
used to extract the ore.

500
00:29:40,767 --> 00:29:44,601
[Narrator] The ore is
a mineral called hematite.

501
00:29:44,734 --> 00:29:47,634
Its red pigment was
sought after by the Incas

502
00:29:47,767 --> 00:29:52,100
for coloring buildings
and textiles.

503
00:29:52,234 --> 00:29:55,300
[Sepulveda] This is one
of the major colors of the Inca,

504
00:29:55,434 --> 00:29:58,133
the elite and the authorities.

505
00:29:58,267 --> 00:30:00,367
This color is generally
associated with people

506
00:30:00,501 --> 00:30:02,501
who are important
in the social structure

507
00:30:02,634 --> 00:30:05,567
and the organization
of the Incas.

508
00:30:08,300 --> 00:30:11,701
[Narrator] Once extracted,
the ore was taken and crushed

509
00:30:11,834 --> 00:30:16,067
near the settlement,
using rocks as anvils.

510
00:30:18,901 --> 00:30:21,100
[Sepulveda] Here we can see
the hollowed parts

511
00:30:21,234 --> 00:30:24,200
and understand the movement
used to grind and obtain

512
00:30:24,334 --> 00:30:27,834
this very fine powder.

513
00:30:31,067 --> 00:30:32,934
The people who worked the mine

514
00:30:33,067 --> 00:30:37,167
and were responsible for
pigment production and grinding

515
00:30:37,300 --> 00:30:40,400
were local people,

516
00:30:40,534 --> 00:30:44,501
but they were still
under Inca control.

517
00:30:47,367 --> 00:30:49,234
[Narrator] The proof
of this relationship

518
00:30:49,367 --> 00:30:53,100
is hidden on a wall
covered in red stains.

519
00:30:54,667 --> 00:30:58,567
[Sepulveda] Thanks
to image processing,

520
00:30:58,701 --> 00:31:02,601
we can take photographs and see
that there are many symbols.

521
00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:09,100
Amongst these markings,
there's a checkerboard pattern,

522
00:31:09,234 --> 00:31:13,968
a shape associated
with Inca expansion.

523
00:31:15,634 --> 00:31:17,167
[Narrator]
This outpost was linked

524
00:31:17,300 --> 00:31:19,767
to 40,000 kilometers of roads

525
00:31:19,901 --> 00:31:23,834
that enabled the empire's goods
to flow into Cusco.

526
00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:29,868
But Emperor Cápac also
distributed part of the wealth

527
00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:32,033
to the local population.

528
00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:36,267
[Garrido] The Incas used metals

529
00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:38,100
as political gifts.

530
00:31:38,234 --> 00:31:39,133
It was very effective

531
00:31:39,267 --> 00:31:41,367
for establishing alliances.

532
00:31:41,501 --> 00:31:43,901
The generation of alliances
made it possible to persuade

533
00:31:44,033 --> 00:31:48,801
local populations
to work for the empire.

534
00:31:48,934 --> 00:31:52,501
[Narrator] This complex system
of exchanging gifts and food

535
00:31:52,634 --> 00:31:56,067
for work and wealth
was the invisible glue

536
00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:58,334
of the Inca Empire.

537
00:31:58,467 --> 00:31:59,901
During its golden age,

538
00:32:00,033 --> 00:32:04,501
Huayna Cápac ran a colossal
and prosperous state,

539
00:32:04,634 --> 00:32:07,567
where just a handful of Incas
controlled a workforce

540
00:32:07,701 --> 00:32:10,934
of 10 million from his palace.

541
00:32:14,234 --> 00:32:17,234
The most rare and precious
goods in South America

542
00:32:17,367 --> 00:32:19,067
were amassed in Cusco,

543
00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:23,567
including tons of fine gold
and silver objects.

544
00:32:23,701 --> 00:32:25,400
[Itier] Before the Inca Empire,

545
00:32:25,534 --> 00:32:27,701
the best goldsmiths
and metalworkers generally

546
00:32:27,834 --> 00:32:32,334
inhabited the Pacific coast,
particularly the north coast.

547
00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:35,667
[Narrator]
Despite popular belief,

548
00:32:35,801 --> 00:32:38,334
these gold and silver
crowns and ornaments

549
00:32:38,467 --> 00:32:40,667
are not of Inca origin.

550
00:32:42,734 --> 00:32:47,934
[Pachas] This object
is characteristic

551
00:32:48,067 --> 00:32:52,567
of the northern tradition of
transforming the sacred bodies

552
00:32:52,701 --> 00:32:56,133
of political
and religious leaders

553
00:32:56,267 --> 00:33:00,434
into ancestors.

554
00:33:03,167 --> 00:33:06,501
[Narrator] The greatest artists
of this period were the Chimús,

555
00:33:06,634 --> 00:33:10,634
who came from Chan Chan
and the north coast of Peru.

556
00:33:10,767 --> 00:33:14,234
Before its conquest by the
Incas in the late 15th century,

557
00:33:14,367 --> 00:33:15,834
it was a flourishing city,

558
00:33:15,968 --> 00:33:19,167
inhabited by several
thousand craftspeople

559
00:33:19,300 --> 00:33:22,567
living around huge palaces.

560
00:33:22,701 --> 00:33:27,534
[Luján] This was
a very busy area.

561
00:33:27,667 --> 00:33:32,200
Craftspeople were constantly
producing objects.

562
00:33:32,334 --> 00:33:35,267
Here were workshops
specializing in metalwork,

563
00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:38,934
mainly silver and gold.

564
00:33:41,067 --> 00:33:42,634
[Narrator]
Under Inca occupation,

565
00:33:42,767 --> 00:33:46,734
the Chimú craftspeople
were forced to leave Chan Chan.

566
00:33:46,868 --> 00:33:49,367
[Luján] When the Incas
conquered the Chimú,

567
00:33:49,501 --> 00:33:51,667
they discovered that
the Chimú goldsmiths

568
00:33:51,801 --> 00:33:56,400
were excellent artists,
so they took these goldsmiths

569
00:33:56,534 --> 00:34:02,033
and reproduced the same thing
on the Inca sites.

570
00:34:02,167 --> 00:34:04,567
[Itier] The capture
of Chan Chan by the Incas

571
00:34:04,701 --> 00:34:07,801
was a crucial moment in
the development of their state.

572
00:34:07,934 --> 00:34:09,801
They took all
their goldsmiths to Cusco,

573
00:34:09,934 --> 00:34:11,734
where they made
the extraordinary Chimú

574
00:34:11,868 --> 00:34:12,766
gold and silver jewelry

575
00:34:12,900 --> 00:34:17,400
that became the basis
of Inca goldsmithing.

576
00:34:18,734 --> 00:34:21,567
[Narrator] Thanks to the
talented artists of Chan Chan,

577
00:34:21,701 --> 00:34:26,434
Cusco acquired the best
metalworkers in the Andes.

578
00:34:26,567 --> 00:34:29,467
Today, some rare treasures
that escaped the greed

579
00:34:29,601 --> 00:34:31,300
of the Spanish conquerors

580
00:34:31,434 --> 00:34:34,766
are housed at
the Larco Museum in Lima.

581
00:34:38,868 --> 00:34:42,434
[Pachas] Many of the items
were looted, melted down,

582
00:34:42,567 --> 00:34:44,766
and transformed into metal

583
00:34:44,900 --> 00:34:49,033
that was shipped out of
ancient Peru after the conquest.

584
00:34:50,467 --> 00:34:53,833
[Narrator] These metals,
so precious to Europeans,

585
00:34:53,967 --> 00:34:58,000
did not have the same value
for the Andeans.

586
00:34:58,133 --> 00:35:02,133
[Pachas] Metals were
not used as a raw material

587
00:35:02,267 --> 00:35:05,000
for exchange like money.

588
00:35:05,133 --> 00:35:08,501
They were a sacred expression.

589
00:35:08,634 --> 00:35:10,334
[Garrido] They weren't used

590
00:35:10,467 --> 00:35:12,200
for commercial transactions.

591
00:35:12,334 --> 00:35:13,334
They didn't have the same value

592
00:35:13,467 --> 00:35:16,434
as in Europe or Asia.

593
00:35:17,701 --> 00:35:19,934
[Narrator] The most precious
and valuable commodity

594
00:35:20,067 --> 00:35:23,667
in ancient Peru was textiles.

595
00:35:23,801 --> 00:35:25,834
[Haydée Quiroz Malca,
translated] Textiles were used

596
00:35:25,968 --> 00:35:27,934
as objects of exchange,

597
00:35:28,067 --> 00:35:31,167
like a means of payment,
but an exchange of favors.

598
00:35:31,300 --> 00:35:37,167
It was a form of currency that
had a very, very high value.

599
00:35:39,934 --> 00:35:41,200
[Narrator]
Essential for protection

600
00:35:41,334 --> 00:35:43,834
from the harsh sun
and cool climate,

601
00:35:43,968 --> 00:35:48,033
or to display social status,
the fabrics were coveted gifts

602
00:35:48,167 --> 00:35:53,200
for community leaders
in order to forge alliances.

603
00:35:53,334 --> 00:35:55,534
The finest weavings
in South America

604
00:35:55,667 --> 00:35:57,667
came from the Cajamarca region

605
00:35:57,801 --> 00:36:00,400
in the north
of the Inca Empire,

606
00:36:00,534 --> 00:36:01,834
where several women's groups

607
00:36:01,968 --> 00:36:05,167
still weave using
ancient techniques.

608
00:36:05,300 --> 00:36:08,300
[Malca] It's a long tradition
that has been passed down

609
00:36:08,434 --> 00:36:10,200
from generation to generation.

610
00:36:10,334 --> 00:36:14,000
The craftswomen and artists
of San Miguel are an example

611
00:36:14,133 --> 00:36:15,567
of cultural resilience

612
00:36:15,701 --> 00:36:20,000
as they keep their
cultural heritage alive.

613
00:36:21,734 --> 00:36:23,701
[Narrator]
Under the Inca Empire,

614
00:36:23,834 --> 00:36:26,767
textile production
was so valuable

615
00:36:26,901 --> 00:36:30,734
that the state controlled
the entire industry.

616
00:36:30,868 --> 00:36:34,801
The Incas supplied wool from
its herds of llamas and alpacas

617
00:36:34,934 --> 00:36:40,133
to communities who,
in return, produced fabrics.

618
00:36:40,267 --> 00:36:42,267
[Malca] People don't
see it as exploitation,

619
00:36:42,400 --> 00:36:43,701
but as an exchange.

620
00:36:43,834 --> 00:36:46,334
So in exchange,
you're going to give me a job,

621
00:36:46,467 --> 00:36:49,767
and it will be a very fine one.

622
00:36:51,968 --> 00:36:53,634
[Narrator]
Textile production relied

623
00:36:53,767 --> 00:36:56,601
on small community workshops,

624
00:36:56,734 --> 00:37:00,000
as well as factories
in the empire's major cities,

625
00:37:00,133 --> 00:37:02,334
like Cusco and Pachacamac.

626
00:37:04,634 --> 00:37:06,567
On the Pacific coast,

627
00:37:06,701 --> 00:37:09,501
the 1,000-year-old site
of Pachacamac

628
00:37:09,634 --> 00:37:12,767
was transformed
by the Inca occupation

629
00:37:12,901 --> 00:37:16,167
into one of their main
administrative centers.

630
00:37:18,234 --> 00:37:24,601
They marked the landscape here
with the Temple of the Sun

631
00:37:24,734 --> 00:37:29,434
and a huge structure
called an Acllahuasi.

632
00:37:29,567 --> 00:37:31,100
[Rocio Villar Astigueta,
translated] At Pachacamac,

633
00:37:31,234 --> 00:37:33,467
the Temple of the Sun
and the Acllahuasi

634
00:37:33,601 --> 00:37:36,567
are political institutions
that serve to control the area

635
00:37:36,701 --> 00:37:39,133
and also to demonstrate
the presence and power

636
00:37:39,267 --> 00:37:43,367
that the Incas had
on the central coast.

637
00:37:43,501 --> 00:37:47,701
[Narrator] Acllahuasi means
"house of chosen women"

638
00:37:47,834 --> 00:37:49,801
in Quechua.

639
00:37:49,934 --> 00:37:53,434
[Astigueta] There are open
spaces in this building

640
00:37:53,567 --> 00:37:56,467
where chroniclers tell us
that women worked together

641
00:37:56,601 --> 00:37:59,968
on various manufacturing jobs.

642
00:38:02,801 --> 00:38:06,234
[Narrator] These women created
the most important products

643
00:38:06,367 --> 00:38:08,667
for the empire.

644
00:38:08,801 --> 00:38:12,133
[Astigueta] The Acllahuasi
functioned as a political system

645
00:38:12,267 --> 00:38:15,200
that supported not only
the governments of the empire

646
00:38:15,334 --> 00:38:17,701
but also its economy.

647
00:38:20,667 --> 00:38:23,100
[Narrator] In each district,
the Incas organized

648
00:38:23,234 --> 00:38:25,434
work, trade, and production

649
00:38:25,567 --> 00:38:29,667
for the benefit of the elite
and the royal family.

650
00:38:29,801 --> 00:38:34,300
But Huayna Cápac was faced
with a problem--

651
00:38:34,434 --> 00:38:36,901
how to distribute
the specialist workforce

652
00:38:37,033 --> 00:38:38,868
across his territory.

653
00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:44,067
♪ ♪

654
00:38:44,200 --> 00:38:48,434
When the Incas arrived
on the slopes of Machu Picchu,

655
00:38:48,567 --> 00:38:51,267
thousands of workers
colonized the region

656
00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:53,501
to carry out the works.

657
00:38:57,334 --> 00:39:00,167
Nearly 400 people
lived there year-round,

658
00:39:00,300 --> 00:39:03,100
some of the best experts
in the empire.

659
00:39:03,234 --> 00:39:08,000
Traces of various handicrafts
were found where they worked.

660
00:39:08,133 --> 00:39:12,133
♪ ♪

661
00:39:12,267 --> 00:39:14,868
[Flórez] This is
where they worked.

662
00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:17,300
We've identified
workshops for carving,

663
00:39:17,434 --> 00:39:19,501
and we have a space further down

664
00:39:19,634 --> 00:39:24,467
where we found evidence that
they carried out metalworks.

665
00:39:26,100 --> 00:39:29,901
[Narrator] In this area,
the buildings are simple.

666
00:39:30,033 --> 00:39:32,601
They are functional spaces.

667
00:39:32,734 --> 00:39:34,968
[Flórez] All the people
involved in farming

668
00:39:35,100 --> 00:39:36,367
or maintaining the site,

669
00:39:36,501 --> 00:39:38,467
they don't actually live
inside the city.

670
00:39:38,601 --> 00:39:41,434
They live on the outskirts.

671
00:39:43,834 --> 00:39:45,100
[Narrator]
In the tropical forest

672
00:39:45,234 --> 00:39:46,934
surrounding Machu Picchu,

673
00:39:47,067 --> 00:39:51,667
hundreds of burials have been
found over the last 100 years.

674
00:39:51,801 --> 00:39:54,234
[Elva Torres Pino, translated]
These human remains come

675
00:39:54,367 --> 00:39:57,000
from normal working-class people

676
00:39:57,133 --> 00:40:00,033
who developed
various economic skills

677
00:40:00,167 --> 00:40:05,667
such as agriculture,
stonecutting, and construction.

678
00:40:07,501 --> 00:40:09,367
[Narrator] Remains are studied
to find out more

679
00:40:09,501 --> 00:40:12,868
about the individuals--
their age and sex,

680
00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:17,567
as well as their occupation--
by looking for bodily traumas.

681
00:40:19,334 --> 00:40:23,234
[Pino] The bones speak to us.

682
00:40:23,367 --> 00:40:25,934
They tell us about their life.

683
00:40:26,067 --> 00:40:29,300
We can see people
who have worked with stone

684
00:40:29,434 --> 00:40:32,400
have this type
of muscular deformation

685
00:40:32,534 --> 00:40:37,701
created from
the force of striking.

686
00:40:37,834 --> 00:40:40,801
[Narrator] To find out the
origin of these craftspeople,

687
00:40:40,934 --> 00:40:43,200
we need to look deeper.

688
00:40:43,334 --> 00:40:45,934
The chemical composition
of their teeth

689
00:40:46,067 --> 00:40:48,868
can reveal their diets.

690
00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:51,868
And studying genes
can compare their DNA

691
00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:54,367
with that of other
pre-Hispanic remains

692
00:40:54,501 --> 00:40:58,501
found throughout the Andes.

693
00:40:58,634 --> 00:41:04,400
[Pino] In the DNA analysis,
we found individuals

694
00:41:04,534 --> 00:41:07,501
who had come here
at a very young age

695
00:41:07,634 --> 00:41:12,801
and had eaten food
from other places.

696
00:41:12,934 --> 00:41:14,534
[beeping]

697
00:41:14,667 --> 00:41:17,167
[Narrator] Comparative
biological analyses show

698
00:41:17,300 --> 00:41:21,801
that many of the workers buried
around Machu Picchu and Cusco

699
00:41:21,934 --> 00:41:25,634
came from faraway regions
in the Inca Empire.

700
00:41:28,434 --> 00:41:32,133
[Pino] The results
of these DNA samples show

701
00:41:32,267 --> 00:41:35,734
that there has been
a population movement

702
00:41:35,868 --> 00:41:38,868
from the high plateau
to the north

703
00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:42,968
and from the coast to the south.

704
00:41:45,067 --> 00:41:47,167
[Narrator] The majority
of workers in the empire

705
00:41:47,300 --> 00:41:49,400
were not Incas.

706
00:41:49,534 --> 00:41:51,434
They came
from conquered peoples

707
00:41:51,567 --> 00:41:55,934
who were displaced according
to the needs of the state.

708
00:41:56,067 --> 00:41:59,934
[Pino] These are specialists
who come on-site

709
00:42:00,067 --> 00:42:06,734
where expertise is missing,
where their work is needed.

710
00:42:06,868 --> 00:42:09,834
So the Inca state
circulates people

711
00:42:09,968 --> 00:42:14,968
who can carry out work
in different places.

712
00:42:15,100 --> 00:42:19,000
[Itier] It's estimated that out
of the Inca Empire's population

713
00:42:19,133 --> 00:42:20,601
of 10 to 12 million,

714
00:42:20,734 --> 00:42:24,868
between 3 and 4 million people
were displaced.

715
00:42:27,634 --> 00:42:30,367
[Narrator] These population
movements enabled the Incas

716
00:42:30,501 --> 00:42:32,968
to colonize remote valleys
and make use

717
00:42:33,100 --> 00:42:36,801
of the best craftspeople
in the royal estates.

718
00:42:38,601 --> 00:42:42,067
By integrating and developing
ancestral techniques,

719
00:42:42,200 --> 00:42:45,667
the Incas managed to tame
a hostile natural environment

720
00:42:45,801 --> 00:42:48,767
in order to feed
their population.

721
00:42:48,901 --> 00:42:51,601
And by employing
10 million people

722
00:42:51,734 --> 00:42:54,734
to exploit the immense
resources of his territory,

723
00:42:54,868 --> 00:42:59,734
Huayna Cápac reached new
heights of power and wealth.

724
00:42:59,868 --> 00:43:02,234
But the splendor
of the Inca Empire

725
00:43:02,367 --> 00:43:04,834
was in a fragile state
of balance.

726
00:43:04,968 --> 00:43:08,067
Compulsory labor
and forced displacement

727
00:43:08,200 --> 00:43:10,133
was not accepted by all.

728
00:43:10,267 --> 00:43:14,267
In the North, Huayna Cápac
spent a large part of his reign

729
00:43:14,400 --> 00:43:17,334
fighting off rebellions
by the Chachapoyas,

730
00:43:17,467 --> 00:43:20,234
Chimús, and Cañaris.

731
00:43:20,367 --> 00:43:21,300
During one of these military

732
00:43:21,434 --> 00:43:24,234
campaigns, around 1528,

733
00:43:24,367 --> 00:43:25,934
the third Inca emperor

734
00:43:26,067 --> 00:43:29,434
suffered from an unknown
illness and died.

735
00:43:29,567 --> 00:43:31,267
[Baca] When Huayna Cápac died,

736
00:43:31,400 --> 00:43:35,167
the state was already
in decline.

737
00:43:35,300 --> 00:43:37,567
[Narrator] Only a century
after its birth,

738
00:43:37,701 --> 00:43:41,567
the Empire of the Sun
entered its twilight years.

739
00:43:41,701 --> 00:43:46,434
How did such a powerful empire
collapse so suddenly?

740
00:43:46,567 --> 00:43:48,300
At the peak of their glory,

741
00:43:48,434 --> 00:43:51,968
the Sons of the Sun
suffered a brutal downfall.

742
00:43:52,100 --> 00:43:58,000
♪ ♪

743
00:43:58,133 --> 00:44:02,440
♪ ♪