ericrstoner's photostream  

View towards Inca ruins of Q'allaqasa, the citadel overlooking the Urubamba River valley, Pisac, Peru.

Aqueduct at the Temple of the Sun, Intihuatana group of Inca ruins, Pisac, Peru.

Courtyard of the 350 year-old monastery converted into a hotel in Yucay, Sacred Valley, Peru

Grazing a hillslope above Inca terraces at Pisac, Peru. Sheep were introduced here only in the 1500s.

Viewing Inca stonework first hand is an unforgettable experience. However those unable to travel to Andean Peru can get to know part of Inca culture by visiting your own backyard. Charles C. Mann describes "How the potato changed the world" in his excellent article in the November 2011 issue of the Smithsonian magazine (www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/How-the-Potato...), excerpted from his new book, "1493: Uncovering the new world Columbus created" (reviewed here: www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/bookreview/149...). Alfred W. Crosby first coined the term "Columbian Exchange" in 1972 to describe the movement of living organisms that transferred between continents, beginning in the 15th century. Crosby elaborates on the Columbian Exchange in this interview (www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/Alfred-W-Crosb...