GEOG 3251 Mountain Geography
Summer 2010 term B
Assignment #2: due on Mon July 19th
Name: ______
Total: 100 points
Ice mummies of the Inca (lecture and video)
Note: For all assignments, use the class time on Friday to go to the library to find references and materials for the assignment.
Some Resources:
Books:
Moseley, Michael Edward.The Incas and Their Ancestors: The Archaeology of Peru.New York, NY: Thames and Hudson, 1992.
Provides the prehistory of the Andean region, including a thorough summary of Inca civilization.
Articles
Reinhard, Johan. "Research Update: New Inca Mummies."National Geographic(July 1998): 128-135.
Web Sites
NOVA Online—Ice Mummies
http://www.pbs.org/nova/icemummies/
This Web site, originally a NOVA/PBS Online Adventure launched in Fall 1996, will provideUpdated information about the archeological expeditions that discovered three different ice mummies.
Mummies 101
http://www.pbs.org/nova/chinamum/mummies101.html
Contains information about mummification, specifically the practices of the Aleut.Note: This site contains some graphic photos. Preview first to determine its appropriateness for your students.
Ice Treasures of the Inca
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/96/mummy/index.html
Contains extensive information on the Inca ice mummies.
1. Who were the Incas and when did their civilization flourish? Where was their empire located, and why did it collappse? (20 points)
2. The Incas were known to be very skillful engineers. List and describe two of the most astonishing technological advances of the Incas, given in class. Give examples and attach figures separately if appropriate. (20 points)
3. Why were children sacrificed on top of mountains in the Andes? Expand on some of the hypotheses given in class. Also, mention how these bodies were preserved at high altitudes. 20 points
4. The figure below shows a typical archeological site complex. Imagine you were an Inca priest, and were in charge of deciding where to bury a human sacrifice on a mountain. How would you choose the site? Consider factors such as terrain, snow accessibility, slope, volcano etc. (20 points)
5. Thousands of tourists go to Peru every year to visit Macchu Picchu. In your opinion, and from the material showed in class, what makes this site so special? Describe the Macchu Picchu in terms of its location, archeological and cultural importance (20 points)
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