Their empire stretched from Ecuador all the way to Chile. Only 40,000 strong, they ruled ten million subjects and created one of history's greatest civilizations. But with one quick blow, the Spanish brought this mighty empire to its knees. it is one of the most dramatic and poignant stories in history. Unfortunately, the drama unfolding today is as disturbing as that which played out 500 years ago. As archaeologists struggle to understand and preserve what remains of a great culture, tomb looters and the forces of "progress" are pushing it ever closer to extinction. Across Peru, the past is colliding with the future as the demands of a growing population threaten to destroy its precious heritage. From high atop remote Andean peaks to just below a dusty shantytown on the outskirts of Lima, archaeologists are racing against time to preserve the legacy left by their ancestors.