_Inca Government and Religion_
The Inca government was a despotism. The Inca--the chief magistrate of
the dominant tribe--had absolute powers, and as a direct descendant of
the Sun was also vested with sacred attributes. Surrounding him and
under him were his immediate family. His official wife was his sister,
and from their offspring was chosen the successor of the Inca. The
elder was usually designated, although this rule was broken in several
instances where the younger brother seemed more able. Next in the
social scale were the nobles, or _orejones_ (o-ray-ho´-naze), as they
were called by the Spaniards. These officials wore very large earrings.
The lobe of the ear was often distorted so that ornaments several
inches in diameter were inserted. Under the _orejones_ came the
_caracas_ (cä-rä´-cäs), or inspectors, who had charge of the census,
the estimation of local resources, and the imposition and collection
of tribute. Their work was chiefly administrative, and the actual
government was left to district magistrates and judges, who acted as
tax-collectors also. Finally, there were the common people. These were
divided for military purposes into 10s, 100s, 1,000s, and 10,000s, and
the mobilization of the Inca armies was almost Teutonic in its ease and
precision.
[Illustration: OLLANTAYTAMBO--The Town and Fortress]
As might be expected, the Inca religion included the worship of many
things. The priestly historians always characterize it as extremely
vile; but those of Inca ancestry insist that it was remarkably pure and
spiritual, consisting of only one true worship, that of the Sun. Only
those that have experienced life in the Peruvian highlands and have
endured the enervation of its cold altitudes can realize how certainly
must the early peoples have turned to the worship of that force which
alone makes life endurable or possible on the Peruvian plateau.
The places of worship were usually temples, so located as to catch the
first rays of the rising sun. _Huacas_ (wä´-käs), such as large rocks
or springs, were, of course, worshiped where they were situated, and
oft-times were surrounded by temples. In the case of stones, shelves or
platforms were carved, on which the priests stood while making their
offerings to the Sun god.
The worship was carried on by priests and _mamaconas_ (mä-mä-ko´-näs),
the latter, the priestesses, directed the lives of the virgins of the
Sun. The most beautiful girls of the kingdom were gathered together
from all parts of the land. The most attractive became the wives of the
Inca, after they had passed through a severe training in the various
feminine arts; others took the vows and became _mamaconas_, while the
rest either became wives of the nobles or were sent back to their homes.
[Illustration: MACHU PICCHU