History:
The Inca civilisation flourished in ancient Peru between c. 1400 and 1533 CE. Famed for their unique art and architecture, they constructed finely-built and imposing buildings wherever they conquered, and their spectacular adaptation of natural landscapes with terracing, highways, and mountaintop settlements continues to impress modern visitors at such world famous sites as Machu Picchu.
What they did:
They developed a system of terraces that they constructed throughout the empire like giant green staircases. Building stepped terraces help the Incas create farmland, and the clever construction of each Terrace gave crops from the best chance of survival.
The Incas were the first recorded people to learn freeze drying techniques. They left potatoes under a cloth overnight in the freezing cold, returning the next day to trample over them to squeeze out any excess moisture. The process was repeated a number of times until they had more CHUNO- the Quechua word for Freeze-dried potato.
The Incas worked out that it was possible to save the lives of their injured men using a primitive form of brain surgery. The operations were designed to reduce inflammation caused by serious head injuries and incorporated basic anaesthetics such as coca, tobacco and alcohol to reduce discomfort.
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