This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
A llama caravan travels the Inka Road. Warautambo, Peru, 1990.


The Sun Gate at Tiwanaku. A relief of the Andean creator god, Tiqzi Wiracocha, in the center of the gate. The figure holds a thunderbolt in each hand. Tiwanaku, Bolivia, 2009.


tal had accurate and timely intelligence. In this sense, all roads led to Cusco. “In each district of the four in which they divided their empire, the Inka had councils of war, justice, treasury,” wrote Hanke. “Each of these councils had their ministries and ministers and subordinates from major to minor...from decurions that handled ten to others who handled hundreds, thousands and tens of thousands. From grade to grade, these levels gave count of everything there was in the empire to the supreme coun- cils. The council presidents of each district received the sum of reason of everything that happened in the empire, to give count of it to the Inka.” Over time, from the primordial ayar couple,


Manco Capac and Mama Occllo, and follow- ing the line of eight Inkas, there is a progressive conquest of the immediate Cuzco region, set- tling Inka dominance of its highly productive sacred valley. According to legend, through this first line of Inka sovereigns, instruction and or- ganization of conquered peoples was integral to the expansion of Inka polity. Inka systemati- cally integrated new populations, introducing standardization in their arts and trades, agri- cultural practices and crops, architectural skills and other knowledge. With the advent of Pachacutic, and his two


successive generations – son, Tupa Inka Yu- panqui; grandson, Huaynacapac – an Ameri- can indigenous polity of major proportions


SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 27


WROTE THE EARLIEST SPANISH CHRONICLER, PEDRO CIEZA DE LEON: “THE CHRISTIANS WERE AMAZED TO SEE SUCH GREAT REASON IN THE INDIANS, THE VAST AMOUNTS OF PROVISIONS OF ALL KINDS THAT THEY HAD, AND THE EXTENT OF THEIR HIGHWAYS AND HOW CLEAN AND FILLED WITH LODGINGS THEY WERE.”


PHOTO BY WAYNE SMITH


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