title: Machu Picchu: Unveiling the Mystery of the Incas
author: Richard L. Burger
description: Tied to a Yale-sponsored exhibition of Incan artifacts now traveling to several museums in America, this illustrated volume sheds new light on Machu Picchu, the mysterious Peruvian ruins that were rediscovered by the Yale Expedition of 1911. No "lost city" of myth, Machu Picchu was actually a "kind of Inca Camp David"a royal country estate that was probably occupied by an Incan king briefly during the 15th century. In addition to reprinting Hiram Binghams original 1913 account of the Expeditions journey, Burger and Salazars volume presents several chapters in which modern archeologists describe the astounding scientific advances, the religious rituals and the daily life of Incas at Machu Picchu. (The book also includes a catalogue of the artifacts shown in the traveling exhibition.) Particularly fascinating is Susan Niless overview of the many practices that Incan royal families used to conserve their status and resources, including the worship of mummified ancestors and the intermarriage of brothers and sisters. A final chapter by Jorge Flores Ochoa discusses modern-day issues in Perusuch as the successful attempt to make Machu Picchu a center for mystic tourismand argues that President Fujimoris plan to build a cable car to the ruins "was designed to satisfy the interests of business managers" while ignoring the interests of the local population. Although the writing in this volume can be dense with scientific terms, most of it is also quite engrossing, and readers who are interested in Machu Picchu will be enchanted by the books many lovely photographs. <br />Copyright  Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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  **THE INCAS:**
  
  
  **INSIDE AN**
  
  
  **AMERICAN**
  
  
  **EMPIRE**
  
  
  **COURSE GUIDE**
  
  
  **Professor Terence N. D’Altroy**
  
  
  **COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY**
  
  
  ![](index-2_1.png)
  
  
  **The Incas:**
  
  
  Inside an American Empire
  
  
  Professor Terence N. D’Altroy
  
  
  Columbia University
  
  
  Recorded Books™ is a trademark of
  
  
  Recorded Books, LLC. All rights reserved.
  
  
  The Incas:
  
  
  Inside an American Empire
  
  
  
  
  
  Executive Producer
  
  
  John J. Alexander
  
  
  Executive Editor
  
  
  Donna F. Carnahan
  
  
  **RECORDING**
  
  
  Producer - David Markowitz
  
  
  Director - Matt Cavnar
  
  
  **COURSE GUIDE**
  
  
  Editor - James Gallagher
  
  
  Design - Edward White
  
  
  Lecture content ©2004 by Terence N. D’Altroy
  
  
  Course guide ©2004 by Recorded Books, LLC
  
  
  72004 by Recorded Books, LLC
  
  
  Cover image: The Inca ruins at Machu Pichu © Clipart.com
  
  
  #UT042 ISBN: 978-1-4025-8197-7
  
  
  All beliefs and opinions expressed in this audio program and accompanying
  course guide are those of the author and not o