Life in the Inca World

The Inca Empire

The Incas lived high in the Andes, a mountain range along the western edge of South America. They lived without horses, iron tools, the wheel, or writing. But in less than 100 years, they built spectacular cities of stone and ruled over millions of people.

By 1491, the Incas controlled an area that stretched more than 2,500 miles from north to south, but in some places no more than fifty miles from east to west. It included ten million people. At its height, the empire of the Incas had as many as ten million people and rivaled the Mongols, the Romans, and Alexander the Great.

The Incas adapted to life in the Andes. The climate of their empire ranged from frigid cold to desert or tropical, often within a few miles due to the steep, rocky slopes of the Andes.

Quechua

The empire included speakers of over 100 languages. However, Inca rulers spoke Quechua (pronounced KEH-chuh-wuh), still the speech of 8 to 10 million people in the mountains of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.

Cities of Stone

Although the Incas did not know how to use iron, they crafted great cities using only stone tools. Inca engineers constructed walls with huge blocks that fit together without using mortar. Despite the volatility of their earthquake-prone empire, many Inca buildings remain standing today.

Some of the empire’s most impressive buildings were in Cusco, the Inca’s capital city. Four wide gateways in the city led to an enormous raised plaza. The plaza was carpeted in white sand carried up the Andes from the Pacific Ocean and raked daily by workers. The walls surrounding the plaza were cut from enormous blocks of stone crafted so finely that one explorer said, “The point of a pin could not have been inserted in one of the joints.” Cusco means “navel,” for the Incas believed their capital was the center of the world and the sacred home of their gods.

Chasquis

The Inca’s most incredible engineering achievement was a network of more than 14,000 miles of roads and bridges. Relay runners called chasquis (pronounced CHAH-skis) were trained to carry messages from the emperor to the furthest reaches of his realm.

Chasquis needed to have strong minds and strong legs. The Incas did not have writing, so each runner would have to memorize his message and immediately run to the next station.

Quipo

Some chasquis carried quipo (pronounced KWEE-po) lengths of different colored knotted strings tied to a central cord. Inca rulers used the “talking knots” to record who paid taxes, how often roads were maintained, and where troops were stationed. The chasquis delivered the messages, but only specially trained scholars understood the meaning hidden in the colors and weaving of this mysterious system.

Though the roads were well maintained, the chasqui had to run up and down the steps of mountains. The Incas had no use for the wheel because they lacked strong animals capable of pulling a cart or plowing.

The largest animals the Inca knew were llamas—distant relatives of the camel. Although llamas can carry only a small amount of weight on their backs, they are nimble enough to navigate the steps of Inca roads.

The Incas crossed canyons and rivers with swinging bridges constructed of rope. Inca engineers developed a canal system and built huge cisterns to hold water for the dry seasons.