In The Great Inka Road: Engineering an Empire, the National Museum of the American Indian states that “Construction of the Inka Road stands as one of the monumental engineering achievements in history. A network more than 20,000 miles long, crossing mountains and tropical lowlands, rivers and deserts, the Great Inka Road linked Cusco, the administrative capital and spiritual center of the Inka world, to the farthest reaches of its empire.”[1] Even though many scholars lament about the scarcity of information regarding the Incas, modern studies have succeeded in their attempts to demonstrate valid aspects that guide individuals through the process of developing an understanding, which responds to their concerns. Museums and other resources that store historical artifacts are the only remaining sources of information about the ancient communities. For instance, the National Museum of the American Indian contains a rich source of historical information that can be used to enlighten communities about their background and identity in the modern world. By empowering the historical monuments to create awareness programs that enlighten the people, it will be easier for the global population to embrace ancient history and adopt practices that yield favourable outcomes, which focus on creating an enabling environment where information can be shared.
Observing the innovative practices developed by the Incas provokes the thought process of individuals because of the little-talked population group, which was ahead of its time. Some of the practices are a constant reminder of the innovative approaches adopted by the ancient communities at a time when the internet was unavailable. For instance, the 20,000 miles long road network is one of the greatest engineering milestones in world history. However, the lack of information regarding the Inca identity is a critical aspect that hinders individuals from discovering their desired goals and objectives. Although many scholars have gone back in time by reading historical evidence to understand the actual identity of the ancient communities, there is a huge gap of information that hinders the thought process of individuals. Modern societies should align their interests with the sources of historical information to familiarize themselves with their cultural identity and embrace the different aspects that symbolize their existence in the world today. However, scholars should be willing to focus beyond the collected informational resources and interact with the descendants to identify any remnants that can be used to define the actual identity of the Incas.
Even though there are limited original sources that hinder individuals from formulating informed decisions about their identity, the linked sources help improve the knowledge and understanding about the Incas. Today, information about the Incas is based on the limited research conducted by scholars. Importantly, the lack of original sources affiliated to the Inca empire promotes speculation and the development of ill-informed information that is often confusing. Any researcher can control the understanding of individuals based on the Inca empire using facts that are backed by scientific approaches. However, the ability of the National Museum of the American Indian to portray evidence that can be traced to the Inca Empire presents a perfect opportunity for individuals to comprehend about the cultural beliefs and practices manifested by the population group. Likewise, the linked resources help control the spread of any misinformation that may hinder the understanding of individuals because of the confusing elements, which influence outcomes in the contemporary society.
Bibliography
National Museum of the American Indian. “The Great Inka Road: Engineering an Empire.” The National Museum of the American Indian, https://americanindian.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/item?id=945
[1] National Museum of the American Indian. “The Great Inka Road: Engineering an Empire.” The National Museum of the American Indian, https://americanindian.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/item?id=945
