The Inca Age in cusco

 It is believed that the peruvian territory was populated since 8,000 B.C. by Asian migrating populations, however, we can not talk about a cultural unit because of the registered culture succession since 2,500 B.C., which it first passed through a primitive agriculture and cattle period; it was affirmed the ceramics period in the X Century B.C. The well developed Chavin culture from Huantar, characterized by its great ceremonial buildings and the practice of an evolved culture is one of the first testimonies. At the IV century already was recorded a higher development degree of cultures settled in its territories (Chimu and Nazca), which stand out because of their textile, metallurgy and higher technology irrigation system.
In the VI century A.D. we had the Tiahuanaco Culture. In the XII century A.D. a "quechua" language town was born which was managed by soveraigns called Incas, with poulations which migrated from the Titicaca Lake's banks to Cusco, organization which attained in short time a great territorial expansion.
The Inca Age
The Incas settled down its Empire capital in Cusco City. The Empire was managed by a government system under the Inca's royal tutelage, who was confered with divine powers and enjoyed a great respect. Their religion was monotheist, governed by the Wiracocha god image; this was a laborious and intelligent town which dominated mathematics, astronomy, architecture and ceramics. The stood out in hydraulics and were great farmers and makers of their environment, cultivating their land through the terrace system, called "andenes" (platforms).
In their social structure, there were well defined social categories, the lands were Inca's property and had the "ayllu" as economic unit, organized as per blood links, parent relationship or common forefathers.



The three great and outstanding ones, were Pachacutec, who greatly extended the Empire because of his conquests; Tupac Yupanqui, who established the inspection system in his domains; and Huayna Capac, who conquested the Quito Zone.
The Conquest
Even when the Inca Empire still had not reached its maturity and was weakened by the Civil War between Huascar and Atahualpa, it took place the Spanish colonization; this, after several attempts, began in 1531 in a movement managed by Francisco Pizarro, who took as prisoner Atahualpa in the year 1532 and killed him on the next year, at the same time spaniards entered to Cusco, what took place on January 15, 1533.
Lima, Peruvian Capital city, foundation took place on January 18, 1535 by Francisco Pizarro with the name of "City of the Kings", which turned to be the Nation's Capital; from that moment on, the rivalries among conquerors come about over and over, giving rise to civil wars among them until 1554. Almagro was defeated by Pizarro at Salinas Battle, which occurred on 1538. Just in 1547 the turbulence of Spanish dominion finished with the sending by Spanish side of Pedro de La Gasca (Clergyman), who succeeded in pacifying the intentions, thus consolidating definitively the Peruvian Viceroyship, which constituted the conquested territories in South America, but not the Caracas government, which belonged to Nueva España Viceroyship (Mexico). On May 12, 1551 took place the foundation of the first of our country's university (Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos), becoming into the spanish culture center in America; at the same time there were created superior institutes in Arequipa, Trujillo, Pasco and Huancavelica. In 1584, the first printing shop was established by Jesuits. In 1739, the Nueva Granada Viceroyship was definitively born, based on the Panama, Santa Fe and Quito Audiences, to loose, in 1776, the Charcas Audiences, the Tucuman, La Asunción and Buenos Aires Governments, and the Cuyo District, thus becoming reduced to only the Peruvian, Bolivian and Chilean Territories.
The indigenous insurrections of Santos Atahualpa in 1742 and Tupac Amaru in 1780-81, along with the firm position of Viceroy Abascal, prevented the arising of independent attitudes. Between 1805 and 1810, there were produced several rebellion attempts against the colonial authority, being suffocated cruelly.

Peruvian gastronomy and products

From Peru, the Spanish brought back to Europe a few foods that would become staples for many peoples around the world.
    •    Tomatoes: Tomatoes were introduced to Europe from Latin America.
    •    Beans: Several varieties of the Common bean are native to America.
    •    Peanuts: The Peanut is native to South America.
The varieties of chili peppers, potatoes and maize that the Spanish brought back to Europe, however, were not native to Peru:
    •    Peppers: Chili peppers are native to America. The varieties most commonly used around the world, however, derive from Mexico and Central America. Sweet Peppers are native to Mexico and Central America. Peruvian Ají peppers are virtually unknown outside of the Andean region of South America.
    •    Potatoes: Potatoes were considered livestock feed in Europe until French chemist Antoine-Augustin Parmentier began serving dishes made from the tubers at his lavish banquets. His guests were immediately convinced that potatoes were fit for human consumption. Parmentier's introduction of the potato is still discussed in Europe today. The varieties used in Europe and most of the world, however, derive from a subspecies Solanum tuberosum.
    •    Maize: Maize is native to all of Central and South America. The varieties used in Europe and most of the world, however, are from Central America. The corn native to Peru is not sweet and has very large grains and is not popular outside of Latin America. (For an example of this Peruvian corn, please examine the photo entitled Pachamanca serving below).
From Spain, Peru received a vast quantity of foods which are now considered staples such as rice, wheat, barley, oats, rice, lentils, chickpeas, broad beans, garlic, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, onions, cucumbers, carrots, celery, lettuce, eggplant, wine, vinegar, olives, beef, pork, chicken, numerous spices (including coriander, cumin, parsley, cilantro, laurel, mint, thyme, marjoram, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, black pepper and oregano), bananas, quince, apples, oranges, limes, apricots, peaches, plums, cherries, melons, figs, pomegranates, honey, white sugar, almonds, walnuts, cheese, hen eggs, cow's milk, etc. etc. For some reason, however, many food plants popular in Spain were never imported to Peru or failed to grow due to climatic conditions such as lemons, turnips, kale, chestnuts, etc.
Peru is considered an important center for the genetic diversity of the world's crops:
Peruvian potatoes
    •    Maize (corn), 35 varieties
    •    Tomatoes, 15 species
    •    Potatoes, 200 species of potato are native to the Andes region. Over 99% of all cultivated potatoes worldwide are descendants of a subspecies, namely Solanum tuberosum. This subspecies has developed into thousands of varieties that vary by size, shape, color, and other sensory characteristics.
    •    Sweet potatoes, 150 varieties
    •    Peanuts are native to Peru and were taken by Spanish and Portuguese merchants to Africa.
    •    Fruits, about 20 native varieties exist which are used in Peru as food (detailed below).
It is important to note, however, that only a small number of these varieties are commercially available. Only two varieties of maize are commonly available. The most common type has very large kernels and is not sweet. The second common variety is a type of fibrous purple corn which is not eaten but is used exclusively to make chicha morada. The third variety is a type of sweet corn which is popular in the United States which is mainly purchased by foreigners due to its high price. Occasionally one finds dried kernels of four varieties of multi-colored corn, which are used in stews or soups. Only two varieties of red tomatoes are commercially available, one is called Italian, while the other is known as American. Only two varieties of sweet potato are commonly available for sale. One has dry orange flesh and light tan skin and tastes sweet. The other variety has purple skin, is white and brown inside and is only moderately sweet. Occasionally another variety which is characterized by small tubers and dark skin and tastes like the purple skin variety. In the case of potatoes one finds more variety. The two most commonly available, however, are a white flesh type and a more expensive yellow flesh type. The only commercially available fruits native to Peru (and the Andes region in general, i.e. Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia) are lucuma, camu camu, prickly pear, cape gooseberry, cocona, pacay (technically a legume but used as a fruit), guanabana, dragon fruit, pepino, papaya, ciruela, mammee apple, banana passionfruit, cherimoya, granadilla, moriche palm fruit and tamarillo. Yacon, although an underground tuber, is also used as a fruit. None of the other native fruits are commercially available.

Peruvian cuisine stems mainly from the combination of local cuisines and ingredients with the cuisines of Spain, China, Italy, West Africa and Japan, due to the arrival of immigrants from those locations! Due to a lack of ingredients from their home regions in Peru, these immigrants modified their traditional cuisine using items native to Peru and those which had been introduced by the Spanish during the colonial period. The three traditional staples of Peruvian cuisine are corn, potatoes and beans. These ingredients have been combined with a number of staples brought by the Spanish, such as rice, wheat and meat (such as beef, pork and chicken). Many traditional foods, such as quinoa, kiwicha, chili peppers and several roots and tubers, which had been tossed aside for European products since Colonial times, have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent decades with a revival of interest in native Peruvian food crops and culinary techniques.