MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
Wonders, the Memphis International Cultural Series, an art and educational
exhibit series jointly sponsored by the City of Memphis and private
donors, crated an exhibition on the "Ancestors of the Incas."
The exhibition spans 3,000 years of Peruvian history, including the culture's rituals, warfare, and daily lifestyle. Over 300 artifacts, including three mummies, are housed in a space that recreates some of the amazing architectural achievements of the ancient Peruvian civilization.
A courtyard decorated with motifs of sculpted fish and wave patterns from the world's largest adobe city is recreated in one of the thirteen galleries. Another gallery, modeled after the cut stone walls of the Inca Temple of the Sun displays the precious metal objects of the exhibition. Design elements such as the enormous intricate designs carved into the desert sands at Nazca provide a context for the objects on display and bring visitors into the atmosphere and environment of ancient Peru.