Ancient Peruvian empire (4) Crossword Clue
Answer: INCA (4 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue "Ancient Peruvian empire (4)" with 4 letters is "INCA". Ancient Peruvian empire (4)" because the Inca Empire was the most significant and powerful ancient civilization in what is now Peru, flourishing from the early 13th century until the Spanish conquest in the 16th century.
Why “Inca” Fits
- Primary keyword: The Inca Empire was the largest and most advanced civilization in pre-Columbian America, flourishing in the Andes—centered in what is now Peru—from the early 13th century until the Spanish conquest in 1533.
- Immediate answer: “Inca” is the classic four-letter crossword solution for any clue referencing ancient Peru, the Andes, or South American empires.
- LSI keywords: Andes, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Quechua, Sapa Inca, Tawantinsuyu, pre-Columbian civilization, Spanish conquest.
- Origins: The Inca Dynasty began in the city of Cuzco (today Cusco, Peru) around 1200 AD under the leadership of Manco Capac.
- Expansion and organization: By the 15th century, especially under the emperor Pachacuti, the Incas expanded their domain to control territory stretching from modern Ecuador to Chile, ruling tens of millions through a highly organized system of provinces, roads, agriculture, and taxes.
- Achievements: The Incas are renowned for their engineering (stone cities like Machu Picchu), administrative skill, advanced agriculture using terraces and irrigation, and impressive road networks. Their official language was Quechua, but they never developed a written script.
- End of the empire: The Inca Empire fell to Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro in the early 16th century—ending imperial rule, but not Inca culture, which survives in language and traditions today.
