Andy spent the next few minutes talking about the many gods that the Incas worshipped, most notably, Inti, the god of the sun. When he was finished, Libby said, “When a lot of people think of the Incas, they think of gold.”

“And rightly so,” Andy said. “The Incas believed gold was the sweat of the sun, and it held a special place for them. It was reserved for the nobles, and it was a sign of imperial dominance across the entire empire. But even more prized by the nobles were the very finest textiles. The Incas were considered to be the most skillful weavers in the world, rivaling even the Egyptians. The best fabrics were considered the most precious gifts of all.”

“Really?” Libby asked. “Their clothes were more important than gold?”

“Yeah, that’s why when the Spanish showed up, the Incas gifted them fabrics rather than gold.”

“Let’s hold off on the Spanish for now. I’d like to get an in-depth interview in the next couple days covering the Spanish, the Inca’s demise, and of course, Paititi.”

“Gotcha.”

“But back to textiles. What kind of clothes did the Incas wear?”

“Females wore long gowns with a sash at the waist called a chumpi. Males wore loincloths and long sleeveless tunics that hung to their knees. Both males and females wore sandals and sometimes headbands. Depending on social status, their headgear might have an addition of feathers or jewelry.”

“I overheard Bernita and Alejándro talking about something called a quipu. Can you explain that?”

Andy nodded. “The Incas didn’t have a written language, so they used quipus—complex knotted cords—to keep track of important historical statistics and accounting records. In the last few decades, researchers have come to believe the quipu was used to record more than just numbers, perhaps even to send and receive messages.”

Andy checked his watch.

3:25 p.m.

Seven minutes.

Libby asked, “You have somewhere to be?”

“Sorry about that,” Andy said, shaking his left wrist and the small black Timex. “Just trying to figure out the last time I ate. My blood sugar is getting a little low.” Andy’s blood sugar was fine, but he wasn’t about to tell her the real reason he kept checking his watch.

“We can stop if you want.”

“No, I’m good for another few minutes.”

“Just quickly touch on the Inca’s architecture, roads, Machu Picchu, then we’re done. I promise.”

“Sounds good,” Andy said. “Yeah, so what the Incas are most noted for is their amazing architecture. They were master stone masons and constructed buildings and walls using finely worked blocks which fit together so precisely no mortar was needed. Usually you can’t even fit the blade of a knife between two stones. And the crown jewel of the Incas’ construction efforts is Machu Picchu.