Central and America, extending over almost 8,000 kilometres from the southern border of the USA to the tip of Tierra del Fuego, are inhabited by people of various Indian civilisations. Among the best known is that of the Inca whose empire at its zenith around 1530 stretched 4,000 kilometres from today’s Ecuador to Chile. The exhibition focuses on splendid artefacts belonging to the Inca civilization and their predecessors, the Moche and Nasca.

Precious gold objects, puzzling ceramic vessels and artistic stone sculptures tell tales of the world of the spirits, of relationships between people, animals and plants, of struggle and war. A separate exhibit area is dedicated to the colourful textiles of weavers of the Guatemalan highlands who see themselves as descendants of the Maya. Robes and textile accessories like these were a vibrant expression of cultural identity already before the arrival of the Europeans and have remained so despite constant change to this day.

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