The term 'Old Empire Builder' refers to the INCA, an ancient South American civilization that flourished in the Andes Mountains from the 12th to 16th centuries. The INCA were renowned for their impressive engineering feats, including the construction of roads, bridges, and terraced fields, as well as their sophisticated system of government and taxation. They also developed a complex writing system, known as quipu, which was used to record information such as census data and laws. The INCA Empire was eventually conquered by the Spanish in the 16th century, but their legacy lives on in the form of archaeological sites, art, and culture.