Peru's royal pedigree: direct descendants trace roots to Incan emperor and kin
Peru's royal pedigree: direct descendants trace roots to Incan emperor and kin
New research has uncovered noble bloodlines that lead to emperor Atahualpa – often among the most humble families of modern Peru
Dan Collyns in Lima
@yachay_dc
Tuesday 25 October 2016 05.00 EDT
When the last Inca emperor, Atahualpa, was executed by Francisco Pizarro in 1533, the conquistadores moved quickly to obliterate all traces of what had been the largest empire of its time.
Temples were sacked and stripped of gold; on holy days, Inca nobles were forced to parade Christian saints instead of the mummies of their ancestors; the engineering skills behind Machu Picchu and a 25,000-mile network of roads stretching from Colombia to Argentina were forgotten.
And in this new society that oppressed all of Peru’s indigenous population, the names of noble families – the “children of the sun” who had once lived as demigods – were gradually erased from history.
But new research in genetics and historical records is tracing noble Inca bloodlines to the direct descendants of Atahualpa and his kin – often among the most humble families of modern Peru.
More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/25/peru-royal-pedigree-inca-empire-history
LA forum:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/110853404