The Incas were a classed society with the Emperor at the top and farm laborers at the bottom.
The first Inca ruler to name himself Emperor was Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui. It was believed that the rulers were descendants of Virachocha. Some historians believe that Pachacuti can be ranked among the "greatest conquerors and rulers of all time" (Microsoft Encarta 1996).
The hierarchy of Inca society was:
Emperor
royal family
upper aristocracy
administrators
nobility
artisans
laborers
Most of the Inca people had to work hard. The farmers grew crops. Llamas
were raised and used for transporting goods. Alpacas were raised for their
wool. Weavers wove beautiful cloth and made clothing from the wool. Other
Inca craftspeople made ceramic pottery, metal ornaments, tools, and weapons,
gold figurines and statues, beautiful
jewelry.
Many Inca painted their faces with designs. Inca boys had their ears
pierced as part of the ceremony for manhood. A gold disk was placed in
the hole made. As the boy got older larger and larger disks were placed
in the hole in the ear which elongated the ear lobe. Brightly-colored feathers
from jungle birds were used to make ceremonial tunics and headdresses for
the Inca who were nobility.
The Inca had special sacrificial ceremonies.
These occurred when the Inca wanted deliverance from things like earthquakes,
drought, plagues, or defeats in war. Unblemished children were chosen
to be sacrificed. It was an honor for the child and his/her family to be
chosen. The child and his family were taken to the city of Cuzco to see
the Emperor. Banquets were held in the child's honor. The child was then
taken high up into the Andes. A special structure was made. The child was
left in the structure. The child died due to exposure to the extreme cold.
Small statues were then made of the child. It was believed that the child
then became a deity, or god.
ACTIVITY
Choose one of the members of the Inca society - Emperor down to laborer.
Describe what you think a day in that persons life would have been like.
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