Inca Culture

Kelly Prince

History

● Estimates ranging from 4 million people to over 37 million people have been debated as the population of the Inca empire at its peak

● was the largest empire in pre-Columbian AmericaPachacuti's son Túpac Inca Yupanqui began conquests to the north in 1463His most important conquest was the Kingdom of Chimor, the Inca's only serious rival for the coast of Peru. Túpac Inca's empire stretched north into modern day Ecuador and Colombia.● Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro

and his brothers explored Panama, reaching Inca territory by 1526● In July 1529 the queen of Spain signed a charter

allowing Pizarro to conquer the Incas

Location & Migration● Empire was called "Tawantinsuyu"

○ Land of the 4 Quarters● Inca Capital: Cuzco● Mainly the left shore of South America● 1532: The Inca empire migration ranged

from the pacific coast to the Atlantic coast and from central Chile to Ecuador

● Currently most popular in Peru

Climate

● Hot & Dry● Scientist say Incas would be nothing without

the good weather produced by the climate● Glacial ice supplied plenty of water and crops

Resources

● Potatoes● Tomatoes● Cotton● Peanuts● Coca● Llama were used for transportation and meat● Always more than enough resources for

everyone

Economic Lifestyle

● The Inca had a controlled planned economy. ● The government would take a percentage

from clans as tribute. ● The elders who could not do hard labor,

would make textile products as tribute. ● No evidence of a market economy or

currency● People were required to pay taxes in the form of labor and in return were given necessities

Fall of the Inca Empire● Deadly plague, small pox, swept through the empire following the Spanish Invasion.

○ Within a few years smallpox claimed between 60% and 94% of the Inca population

● Francisco Pizarro and his brother conquered the empire under the order of the queen of spain in 1529● Manco tried to use the feud between brothers to his

advantage. He recaptured Cusco in 1536, but the Spanish retook the city afterwards.

● After the fall of the Inca Empire the Inca culture were slowly destroyed

Government● The ruler was said to be a "descendant of the Sun God Inti."● He would not be considered a god, but was treated as such. ● The ruler would marry his sister and was not allowed to marry

"humans" ● Their oldest child wasn't necessarily heir to the throne, the child who was most fit

was chosen ● Each person had his own responsibility and freedom to live his life while

contributing to society. The more powerful you were, the more people you controlled.

● In the Inca they had very serious laws. If you committed murder you were thrown off a cliff. If you stole or cheated your hands and feet were to be cut off and fed to the animals.

● The common people were divided into clans called "ayllus". To join a clan, you ancestry was traced. You married within your clan and interacted with the government through your clan. You also paid your taxes through the clan.

Relationships & Family Life● Families had arranged marraiges● Women's responsibilities were weaving textiles. ● Men's responsibilities were to farm, to mine and

to serve one time in the army. ● The leading Inca owned all the land, but

families were given land to farm depending on how many children they had.

Contributions to Society● Architecture was one of the most important Inca arts.

○ The Inca's built large beautiful structures such as Machu Pichu, inspiring architects today

● The Inca's contributed in medicine and surgery, they made many discoveries in medicine.

● Designed organized road systems, influencing those of the Spanish conquistadors and todays modern roads● Calenders● Astronomy● Mathematics/ measuring system

Religion● Women called "Aclla" were the virgins who performed religious duties.● The Sun God Inti was the most powerful, but there were various other

gods and there was also ancestral worship. ● Believed strongly in reincarnation● Viracocha Created all living things● Apu Illapu was the Rain God, prayed to when

they need rain● Mama Occlo was the god who gave wisdom

to civilize the people, taught women to weave cloth, and build houses● Manco Cápac wasknown for his courage and sent to

earth to become first king of the Incas, taught people how to grow plants, make weapons, work together and worship the Gods

Music● Inca music had only five tones (do, re, fa, sol, la)● It was enough to create 4 different types of music melodies1. Haylli (War melodies)- in battlefield before battle2. Ayarachi (Funeral melodies- burial ceremonies or days of

grieving3. Harawi (Religious melodies)-talk about infinite power of the

Inca god Wiracocha4. Trillatakiy (Agricultural labor melodies)- about love and

ancedotes● Made instruments from copper, stone, bones, or wood.

Literature● Hand weaving was practiced,used instead of writing in some cases● They did not write, but passed down all their

knowledge orally. They used rope with string hanging down in knots called "quipu / kipu" as a method to remembering things and events.

● Official language was Quechua, spoken in hundreds of different local dialects

● Lacked a written language

Art

● Inca pottery is the best well known artwork● They used feathers to decorate everything,

such as Inca masks, head decorations, temple wall decorations, armors of brave Inca warriors, and many other artifacts

Clothing

● Clothes consisted of woven or knitted tiles, they were held together by large metal pins● Women- wore a one-piece dress that reached to the ankles and was bound by the waist● Men- wore a sleeveless tunic with a large cloak to wear over the shoulders

Customs

● Women married at 16● The Inca army was the most powerful in the area at that

time, because they could turn an ordinary villager or farmer into a soldier, ready for battle

● Inca Leaders were mummified● Men were both farmers and soldiers at a moments

notice● Prayed to specific gods for certain necessities

○ Ex: Rain God, Apu Illapu, for good rain to grow crops

Cuisine

● The civilization stretched across many regions, which meant a great diversity of plants and animals.

● Amaranth was one of the regular foods● Chili peppers were an important and daily part of

their diet● Potatoes were also a regular part of their diet, there were over hundred varieties of it

Education● Starts as soon as they the baby is born, they won't hold the

baby so they don't get used to being in the arms of their parents

● Once the baby can sit and walk by themselves the parents teach them how to take care of the family

● Once the child is three they assign them responsibilities, such as grazing animals, this continues till they are nine

● Once a child is nine the parents duty of teaching them now is joined with the government-the government assigns them duties

● At this point boys and girls lead their own educational path, boys have physical competitions and the girls have home education.

Technology

● The Incas had no iron or steel, and their weapons were not much better than those of their enemies○ Used bones, wood, copper and animal skin to create

weapons such as swords, helmets and attire. ● The Inca used assemblages of knotted strings, known as

Quipu to record information● The Inca made many discoveries in medicine. They performed skull surgery at a 80-90% success rate, they cut holes in the skull in order to relieve fluid buildup and inflammation caused by head wounds.

Cited Sources● O'Connor, J. J. "Mathematics of the Incas." Inca Mathematics. Jan.

2001. Web. 06 June 2012. <http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/HistTopics/Inca_mathematics.html>.

● Hagen, Von. "The Incas." The Incas. Latina America Studies, Feb. 1996. Web. 06 June 2012. <http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/incas/collier.htm>.

● "Inca Civilization." Crystalinks. Web. 06 June 2012. <http://crystalinks.com/incan.html>.

● Gascoigne, Bamber. “History of Incas” HistoryWorld. From 2001, ongoing. <http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?groupid=3077&HistoryID=ac84&gtrack=pthc>

● Clark, Liesl. "The Lost Inca Empire." PBS. PBS, 01 Nov. 2000. Web. 06 June 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/lost-inca-empire.html>.