Astronomy of the Inca Empire

Astronomy in the Inca Empire was a robust and fundamental practice. The subsequent Spanish conquest of the Andes region disrupted much of this indigenous culture and resulted in a significant loss of information about its rich history. Through modern archaeoastronomy, this book helps recover and interpret some of these elements of Inca civilization.

Astronomy was intricately woven into the very fabric of Andean existence and daily life. Accordingly, the text takes a holistic approach to its research, considering first and foremost the cultural context of each astronomy-related site. The chapters necessarily start with a history of the Incas from the beginning of their empire through the completion of the conquest by Spain before diving into an astronomical and cultural analysis of many of the huacas found in the heart of the Inca Empire.

Over 300 color images-original artwork and many photos captured during the author's extensive field research in Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, Cusco, and elsewhere-are included throughout the book, adding visual insight to a rigorous examination of Inca astronomical sites and history.

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Steven Gullberg holds a Ph.D. in astronomy from James Cook University (Australia) and is an Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma, where he is Lead Faculty for the School of Integrative and Cultural Studies. He is the University's Director for Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture, and he also serves as Chair of the International Astronomical Union's Working Group for Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture. He has conducted extensive field research on the astronomy of the Incas in the Peruvian Andes and has written many research papers. At the University of Oklahoma, he led the development of a graduate-level archaeoastronomy distance-learning program designed to educate researchers around the world. Dr. Gullberg regularly presents papers at international conferences as he endeavors to globally advance the field of archaeoastronomy.

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