Lost Civilizations: The Incas

The Incas left no writings. The only testimonies come from the first Spanish conquistadores who had collected stories from the natives. Heirs, among others, of the brilliant civilizations that had preceded them, the Incas were originally only a small tribe established in the Quechua region, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, straddling Peru and Bolivia. . They participate in a confederation with other groups by initially occupying a subordinate and non-dominant rank. The confederation is based on two clans: the Hanan, which holds the political powers, and the Hurin, the military power, to which the Incas belong.
This distribution of powers partly explains the rise in power, by arms, of the Inca group. It was not really until the middle of the 14th century that the Incas created a state in their name. Cuzco was the capital of the Incas and was for a long time a crossroads on the Trans-Andean economic axis, but fell asleep when commercial activity turned to Lima. Machu Pichu is the ancient Inca city of the 15th century, perched on a rocky promontory on the eastern slopes of the central Andes. Classified since 1983 on the UNESCO World Heritage List, it has also been designated as one of the new seven wonders of the world. By focusing on the daily life of the Incas, their rites and religious cults, we will explore everything that makes up the mystery and legend of this lost civilization. Why human sacrifices, why is gold the metal symbol of the Incas? Why did they worship the Sun? This is what we are going to try to solve in this documentary with the help of specialists such as Jean-François Bouchard, Patrice Lecoq and Carmen Bernand, researchers specializing in Latin America.
Director: Jacques Vichet