Gordon Francis McEwan

While this book's title would lead you to believe there is a wealth of new information regarding the Inca empire which has been collected into a single volume, this is not entirely the case. Do not however consider this to be the fault of the author because, as he and other Andean researchers will admit, still to this date there has been somewhat limited archaeological investigation in this region. Even though the growing popularity of Inca sites such as Machu Picchu would make one expect a huge investigation of Inca history is taking place there are relatively few scholars working on the subject. Now, with all this in mind, and thanks to the research that has been undertaken, this book does deliver a good introduction to the Inca and their world. By starting with an overview of the historical documentation generated by the Spanish conquistadores, the religious officials they brought with them, and the native people, we see the origin of interest in Inca history. The author also explains the geographical region and how the Inca adapted to the steep and harsh environment and how their political system helped them to administer it. There are also discussions of religion, economics, architecture, infrastructure, textiles, and other material culture. Each chapter is followed by a list of references and at the back a nearly 30 page list of "resources for further study" provides a great jumping off point for reading more on specific subjects.… (mehr)