Peru's very name is inherently intriguing. The mind goes back to a pre-Columbian age that remains largely enigmatic. As the latest archaeological finds have shown, unveiling Peru's past implies writing a history spanning more than 10,000 years. At the time of the Spaniards' discovery and conquest of Peru in the 16th century, the land was ruled by the Incas, who were then embroiled in a civil war between the factions of the last two rival kings, Huáscar and Atahualpa.

Peru's pre-Inca, Inca and Spanish heritage contains advanced forms of religious, political, literary and artistic expression. For a better understanding of the pre-colonial period, we have chosen some passages from the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega's "Royal Commentaries", a chronicle written between the 16th and 17th centuries and a classic source for all those interested in that part of Peru's history.