History of the New World

The History of the New World by Bernabé Cobo is a key work to understand the colonial era in America. Cobo, a seventeenth-century Spanish Jesuit missionary, spent most of his life in the New World, providing him with a unique perspective on the geography, flora, fauna, history, and customs of the civilizations found there.
Cobo’s work is divided into four volumes. The first two focus on the natural history of the New World, providing detailed descriptions of the flora and fauna, as well as the minerals and geographical conditions of the region. The last two volumes of the History of the New World focus on the history and customs of indigenous civilizations, particularly those of the Inca Empire in Peru.
Cobo is especially known for his detailed descriptions of Inca religion and rituals, as well as his chronicles of Inca history. His work provides valuable insight into pre-Columbian societies before and during the Spanish conquest.
Bernabé Cobo’s study of the natural history of the New World has also been of great importance to scholars. His descriptions of the plants and animals of the region were some of the earliest and remain one of the most valuable sources for scholars of ecology and ethnobotany in Latin America.
In short, Bernabé Cobo’s History of the New World is an essential work for students of Latin American history, as it provides a rich treasure trove of information about the natural history, culture, and history of the pre-Columbian civilizations of the Americas.