Incan Art and Architecture. – Hilary Jay

How did the Inca move stones that weigh up to 100 tons?  How did they cut the stone in such precise measurements that it all fit together like pieces in a puzzle? Many mysteries surround Inca architecture. In Incan art there are many meanings behind a simple vase or sculpture, religious and spiritual beliefs all carved into a little piece of history. Read on to find out more about Incan Art and Architecture.

Incan architecture has overcome centuries of weather and earthquakes. As it turns out, the Inca’s mortar-less (nothing to hold the stones in place) design can withstand earthquakes. This was an important feature because the Inca were situated on an earthquake prone area. Because the stones were so heavy and large, the Inca employed over twenty thousand men to work on Sacsahuaman (overlooking the city of Cuzco) it took 75 years to complete. Of the twenty thousand men, one fifth would work in the quarries (open mines where stones are cut and dug up) where the engineers would divide workers into 3 groups. One group would cut the stone into large square pieces, the second group would give the geometric shape to the stone and the last group would polish the stone using sand before it was sent to the construction site. Six thousand people dragged stone on wooden rollers to the site. On site ten thousand people worked doing jobs such as building ramps to life the stone, dragging stone up the ramps and fitting the stone into place. Another innovation in architecture was the Inca’s use of doorways and windows that were wide at the bottom and narrow at the top for added strength. 

Some people believe that the Inca used a magical plant to make their buildings and measurements so precise. People are baffled by Machu Piccu’s many walls and fortresses because of their detail and flawless finish. These architectural feats go beyond some people’s imagination, leading them to believe in a mythical explanation for such great achievements. This magical plant apparently had leaves that were able to dissolve rock, allowing the Inca to bend the rock as they wanted.

Although Incan art was rather simple and uncomplicated compared to the architecture, it wasn’t as unmeaningful as it seems. The Inca utilized alpaca wool to make tapestries; these tapestries had vibrant colours, geometric shapes and were intricately woven by hand by the women. To dye the alpaca wool the women used dyes from plants and shellfish, they spun the wool into fine thread and finally it was woven into a loom that is still used today. These tapestries took a very long time to make and were not just for show, they were used for political contracts and therefore displayed political power. Man pieces of art form the Inca were destroyed during the Spanish conquest, few pieces survived. Because of the rarity of the tapestries and other art, they are considered an important part of Peruvian history. In art, the Inca preferred simple designs because they wanted their art to have a greater religious meaning. For example on a small wooden jar they managed to portray the Incan view of the Spaniards and the Africans they brought with them in detail. It sounds complicated but they managed to paint it on a small jar! Most vases found tell stories of important things that happened in the Inca. Another section of Incan art was their pottery. Moche pottery was made so skillful that it can show what people looked like. The common colours used in pottery were red, black, and white. Each village had their own designs and sourced clay from the Andes Mountains.