The Incas and Machu Picchu

by Philip Steele, Deborah Tyler, Hazel Mary Martell

Discusses Hiram Bingham's 1911 expedition in search of the lost city of the Incas and describes how he came to find Machu Picchu. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0875185363
• ISBN13: 9780875185361
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: Dillon Press
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 7.7" x 10.0"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

A great book to help your child understand this culture.

The ancient city of Machu Picchu is to Peru what the pyramids are to Egypt. Each year hundreds of thousands of tourists visit this archaeological site.Though juvenile literature, this short book holds interest even for adults. After Philip Steele discusses the archaeological discovery of Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham in 1911, he goes on to talk about the life the Incas must have led, using Machu Picchu as the example to illustrate what the Inca civilization was like. He starts off with the strict social classes that the Inca society had: the rulers, government, priests, religion, warriors and the farmer, the commoner and everyday life. The Inca civilization (1200 - 1532 ) had phenomenal architects, builders and engineers. Even today, their stone work is unsurpassed in history. Steele, also covers, ever so briefly, the unique and advanced skills that the Incas had as craftsman, especially in pottery and jewelry. However, he elevates the society more than is justified. He makes statements like "the Incas were skilled doctors and surgeons" when actually they were homoeopathists that used natural plants as remedies. Regarding surgery, they sought to relieve pain in the head by tapping holes in the skull. Even though he points out that the Incas did not use money, only a barter system; he fails to point out that the Incas also did not write, read or use the wheel. And though he mentions their religious beliefs (pantheistic), he did not point out that while worshiping their Sun God, they did regularly sacrifice humans as part of the ceremony. In "The Incas and Machu Picchu" Philip Steele has given children and adolescents an excellent primer to both the Inca civilization and this remarkable site. His writing is both entertaining and educational. The many color and b & w photographs are excellent, and with each picture, an informative caption makes this book and excellent tool.