Inca Vocabulary

A way to grow crops on the side of a hill or mountain, where flat steps (terraces) are built into the hill.

• Terrace farming

• Hydroponics

• Crop rotation

• Vertical farming

A place of worship where people serve and pray to the gods they believe in.

• Church

• Synagogue

• Temple

• Mosque

A city in southern Peru that was the capital of the Inca Empire.

• Cuzco

• Lima

• Arequipa

• Trujillo

Mountain along Southern America’s western side which is the longest mountain range in the world. It crosses South America from south to north through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela. It is the second highest mountain range.

• Andes Mountains

• Rocky Mountains

• Himalayas

• Alps

A line of mountains connected by high ground.

• Mountain range

• Hill chain

• Valley

• Plateau

An ancient Inca city located high in the Andes Mountains in Peru, famous for its stunning ruins. It means 'old mountain' and is one of the new 7 Wonders of the World.

• Machu Picchu

• Tikal

• Chichen Itza

• Petra

The four main compass directions: north, south, east, and west.

• Cardinal direction

• Ordinal direction

• Geographic direction

• Magnetic direction

An ancient Inca device for recording information, consisting of a collection of strings with knots.

• Quipu

• Tally Stick

• Abacus

• Cuneiform

Stairs made of stones or rock.

• Stone steps

• Wooden stairs

• Metal ladders

• Concrete ramps

A four-sided rock that had four points to represent each cardinal direction, believed to be used in religious ceremonies.

• Intihuatana

• Menhir

• Dolmen

• Obelisk