Plural of Inca; members of the indigenous people who built a vast empire in South America before Spanish colonization, or referring to their remarkable civilization known for advanced engineering, agriculture, and administration.
From Quechua 'inka' meaning 'ruler' or 'lord.' Originally referred specifically to the emperor, but Spanish colonizers extended it to the entire people and empire. The word entered English in the 16th century through Spanish chronicles.
The Incas built their empire without wheels, written language, or iron tools, yet created roads and structures that still amaze engineers today! Their administrative system was so efficient that they managed an empire stretching from Ecuador to Chile using only knotted strings called quipu for record-keeping.
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