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Inca Bird-handled Dish
An Inca ceramic dish with a handle in the form of a bird. Peru, 1476-1534 CE. (St. Louis Art Museum, Missouri)
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Inca Farmers
A colonial-era illustration depicting Inca farmers using traditional tools such as the foot plough. By the native chronicler Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala, c. 1613 CE.
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Wanka Civilization
The Wanka (also Wanca or Huanca) people occupied the highlands of ancient central Peru around Lake Junin and the Manataro, Chanchamayo and Tarma rivers. The culture flourished from the Middle to Late Horizon periods (600 CE - 1532 CE). Dwelling...
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Mauryan Empire
The Mauryan Empire (322 BCE - 185 BCE) supplanted the earlier Magadha Kingdom to assume power over large tracts of eastern and northern India. At its height, the empire stretched over parts of modern Iran and almost the entire Indian subcontinent...
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Pizarro Seizing the Inca of Peru
An 1846 painting by John Everett Millais titled "Pizarro Seizing the Inca of Peru". The scene shows the conquistador Francisco Pizarro (c. 1478-1541) capturing the Inca ruler Atahualpa at the battle of Cajamarca in 1533. (Victoria and Albert...
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Civilization
Civilization (from the Latin civis=citizen and civitas=city) is a term applied to any society which has developed a writing system, government, production of surplus food, division of labor, and urbanization. The term is difficult to define...
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Ancient Persian Governors
The Achaemenid Persian Empire functioned as well as it did because of the efficient bureaucracy established by its founder Cyrus the Great (r. c. 550-530 BCE) which was administered through the satrapy system. A Persian governor of a province...
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Ardashir I
Ardashir I (l. c. 180-241 CE, r. 224-240 CE) was the founder of the Persian Sassanian Empire (224-651 CE) and father of the great Sassanian king Shapur I (r. 240-270 CE). He is also known as Ardashir I Babakan, Ardeshir I, Ardashir the Unifier...
Definition
Gurjara-Pratihara Empire
The Gurjara-Pratiharas, or simply, the Pratiharas (8th century CE - 11th century CE) held their sway over western and northern India. This dynasty saw its fortunes rising under Nagabhata I (730–760 CE) who successfully defeated Arab invaders...
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Inca Trapezoid Windows
Typical imperial Inca trapezoid windows from the sacred precinct of Coricancha, Cuzco, c. 1438 CE.