User:Killari Wanka/sandbox

The functions of the tambos also depended on their size and the equipment they contained.^[14] Each tambo had the capacity to house several state officials.^[15] For example, the smaller tambos served as stations for the chasquis,^[16] called "Chasquiwasi" (literally "House of the chasqui") of only one room and a small place to store supplies. Larger tambos could also provide other functions, like warehouses that could provide supplies and some accommodations for the moving armies.^[17] This function, however, should not be confused with the collcas, which were only warehouses from which the armies were resupplied when they passed.^[18]

Gallery

• 
  Restaured colca at Raqchi.

Organization

Equipment

One of the things that granted to the incas the capacity to create the biggest empire in the pre-columbian america, was their ability to use the metallurgy in war and also the ability to adapt to every new kind of weapon, from the bow and arrow of the Antisuyu to the sword and arquebus of the Spaniards. Each inca soldier carried a different kind of weapon according to his origin in the ayllu, the quality of the decoration as well as the metal that made it up, depended on his military rank (See table above). Here is a list of all the weapons used in the army:

After spending time with the spanish people, Manco Inca, learned to use spanish weapons, learned their tactics and the weaknesses of each weapon. This would be of great help, since after the first confrontations during the rebellion, the Inca troops began to use spanish weapons, being almost on equal terms; something fundamental for the 40 years of Inca resistance.^[19]

Protection

Armour

The armor used during the Tawantinsuyu varied in style and material according to the region to which each soldier belonged, for example, in the Andes it was generally adorned with wool

(quechua: Uma chuku) – The helmets used by the Incas were conical, a particular form of southern Peru, as can be seen in the helmets made by the Chiribaya culture, as opposed to the dome-shaped helmets of the coast (Moche and Nazca) or the conical frustum of the Altiplano (present-day Bolivia ) simply called "chuku" of an identical aspect to the fez hat. To make a helmet the wooden rods were woven with wool or cotton and then painted with tokapus if it was necessary or simple artistic decoration, on the coast the cane was used instead of wood, the helmets could also just be made directly of wood. Although that was the general appearance of this Andean helmet, there was no standardized shape since the making of this armor piece was one of the main ways that helped to differentiate nations, such as the size, material used, art, elaboration, ornaments and headgears that were made according to the influence of the pre-Inca culture in the area, according to Bernabé Cobo the Inca helmets were made in such a way that not a blow of stone or stick could damage them. For the creation of the metal helmets used by the nobility, whether made of copper, bronze or gold, a layer of the chosen material was added to the main wooden structure in a similar way to how the helmets worn by middle rank soldiers had metal rings between its composition to reinforce it. In most of the drawings, made by Guaman Poma and those found in Cuzco queros, the representations of the helmets had certain ornaments on the upper part, presumably short feathers, like the use of Quriquenque feathers in the maskhaypacha.

Shields

(quechua: Wallqanqa) – The shields were made of wood and once they were lined with deer leather, a wool or cotton canvas was added where tokapus, chakanas, geometric figures such as triangles, squares, lines, etc. were painted or in some nations designs proper from ceramic. Above this, metal jewelry was added that could be gold and silver or copper the lower soldier. Each one of the following shields, and most of the Inca weaponry, were made from the strongest wood that could be found in their area of ​​manufacture: Chunta in the eastern mountains and in the jungle, Thaqu in the north west, and Waranqu in the southwest. (Kuntisuyu and Qullasuyu). The shield was used throughout the Tawantinsuyu with the exception of the Antisuyu, which is also known for the lack of references to its army.

• Square shield: The favorite shield of the Andean soldiers therefore being the most used. It generally had a small cotton cape added to protect part of the legs from enemy projectiles. Guaman Poma always represents the military with this type of shield.
• Round Shield: These were used mostly along the coast, the size and easy control made them appropriate for the battles fought in this type of terrain. Its use increased among the Inca army after its acquisition during the northern campaigns.
• Rectangular shield: Large wooden shields in which a soldier could easily cover his body. Like the square shield it could have a cotton cape, although much smaller, mainly for decorative purposes. Most of the time it was placed on the back to serve as protection against rear attacks, leaving both hands empty for battle. Its use in the Andes began during the
  Wari Culture
  heyday (500CE - 1200CE).

Weapons

Axe

(quechua: Chiqtana) – Light weapon with the head shape similar to the tumi, probably brought, common ones were made of flint or copper, meanwhile the axes for officers and noblemen were created with other metals like gold and silver,^[21] it remained as an important weapon due to his origin in Tiahuanaco influence. Incas created an original weapon design in which they mixed an axe with a star-shaped mace, commonly called "Champi" for its mace function, although it belongs to the category of axes.

Bolas

(quechua: Liwi) – Hunting weapon originally created by the natives of the Patagonia, it was made up of 3 or 4 stone balls tied with a leather rope and were rotated over the head and thrown in order to break or entangle the feet of hunted animals. It doesn’t appear in the Andes until Inca times, who took it from the Collas, an Aymara Kingdom from the south who used the bolas as their main range weapon.^[22] Tupac Inca Yupanqui valued this weapon and knew its advantage on the battlefield, it was then when it got use during the conquest campaigns, the civil war and against the Spanish during the Manco Inca rebellion, where it turned out to be very effective against the cavalry. ^[23]

Bow and Arrow

(quechua: Tiwka and Wachi, respectively) – It was an important weapon for the Inca army, so much that some authors consider its use bigger than the sling, although it was reserved for soldiers from the jungle regions such as the Shipibo, Chachapoyas, etc.^[24] These ethnic groups were experts in its use, having at their disposal poisons that they applied on arrows. It became very helpful to Manco Inca when he retired to Vilcabamba due to its proximity with the Amazon rainforest. It was in this place that it began to be used and it remained there until the Middle Horizon (600CE-1000CE), when it got introduced into the Andes by the Wari Empire. Despite the influence of this culture, there are no references to its later use until the Inca domain. The bow and arrow were never used on a larger scale in the Andean area, perhaps due to the lack of appropriate wood for the bow and the massive manufacture of arrows.^[25] The bow can also be translated as "Wachina".

Club

(quechua: Waqtana) – Long thick bats made of wood that had to be used with both hands, it could contain stone tips on the head to increase the damage, dealing strong blows to the head. Used by nations with poor technological development, it's known about its use in the Inca army although it doesn’t seem to have been very popular, due to its slowness mainly.

Daggers

(quechua: Tuksina) – A simple tool commonly made from flint with a wooden handle, used throughout the Andean area as hunting knives. There are no later references that indicate its main use as a military weapon, instead, it served as a dagger of last resort. However, it’s important to differentiate this type of knives with the ceremonial ones and those that belonged to the high military ranks that were made of metal.

The word "Tuksina", "Tuqsina" or "Tuccina" is used erroneously to identify a single-handed metal sword made of copper or bronze, presenting a width superior than the European one that would later be replaced with the Spanish sword during the rebellion of Manco Inca. This false information was brought from Juan de Betanzos (Ecuadorian priest and writer) who points to this as an example of the Inca superiority over the ancient Ecuadorian civilizations, thus justifying its downfall. This lacks archaeological evidence, as well as evidence written by chroniclers, both spanish and indigenous (like Guaman Poma). In conclusion, there was no metal sword and the only weapon with a similar use would be the Amazonian macana Wino.

Halberd

(quechua: Kunka kuchuna) – Weapons of two meters long approximately, which various chroniclers and writers call "Partisan" or "Polearm" due to its similarity to the European halberd. It's a straight axe in one side with a spearhead on the other, ending in a bundle of three feathers at the top. Considered an important symbol of power in Inca society, were used mainly by high military ranks and important provincial heads as a symbol of their relationship with the Inca state. It’s also referred as the golden staff that was given to Manco Capac by his father Inti for the founding of Cuzco.

Mace

(quechua: Champi) – The maces were the most common weapons in the empire, equivalent to the sword for Europe, the champi was the favorite weapon of the Andean army. It had an approximate handle of 60 cm, this measurement varied to easily identify soldiers with a high military rank, the lower part of the handle was occasionally covered with a sharp copper tube, whose end served as a dagger or spear. There were 4 types of heads: star-shaped, spherical, doughnut shaped and cactus. These weapons are usually called "chaska chuki" because the star-shaped one was the most used in the Inca army, also to its alternative function as a short spear.

The origin of the star-shaped mace is the doughnut shaped one, with the help of hard stone cutting instruments, the material was removed by outlining the tips. Later, thanks to the advancement of metallurgy in the Andes during the Early Intermediate and Middle Horizon (200 BCE - 600CE and 600CE - 1000CE respectively) allowed its elaboration from copper and bronze, as well as the refinement of the star-shaped head, realizing jagged metal discs impossible to create with stone. A particular design from the north, specifically from the Salinar Culture (500 BCE - 200 CE), would create a new category of maces. It’s a strong mace head made of diorite in the shape of a cactus, it could be a representation of the San Pedro cactus due to its symbolic importance of the time, this new form would remain in the Andes and later be recreated from metal.

Sling

(quechua: Waraka) – The huaracas, as are commonly called, were for a long time the main range weapons in the central-Andean area. It was made of wool and leather, with an average length of 2 meters.^[26]. It also had other functions: it was used by children to hunt down birds^[27], to pull boats during the crossing of rivers and used as accessories at the waist during ceremonies^[28], these were specially made for this purpose (slightly larger, also presented different textile designs according to its carrier and resulted useless in battle). The slingers were very accurate when using the huaraca, they stood out for the precision and force with which they attacked from afar with such force that they could kill a horse and its rider.^[29] It has been estimated that only the Inca's escort had 5,000 slingers.^[30] The projectiles could exceed the 120km/h^[31] with an effective range of 100 meters —the total range was larger— and an average diameter of 5.2 cm, made of stone or hardened clay. Could be carried in bags called chuspas, which main function was to carry coca leaves, or stacked in piles with a distance of 2 to 3 meters, space necessary for two slingers to not interfere with each other.^[32]

Stones wrapped in burning cotton were thrown to burn the wooden and straw roofs, this incendiary device is verified during the siege of Cuzco (1536)^[33] and during the Viracocha campaigns through the Kuntisuyu, where after two days of fighting against the Caytomarca people and being unable to cross the river that protected the city, the Inca climbed a hill and with a sling that had gold threads, caused a fire in one of the houses, seeing this, the elders of the town surrendered to the Cuzco domain thinking it had been a divine punishment for not wanting to obey the Inca.^[34]

Spear

(quechua: Chuki) – The spear was one of the most important weapons of the Inca army, it could have a fire-hardened point or a metal tip, made of copper or bronze.^[35] It was used together with the shields, lacking these, the weapon was placed above the left arm using the cape of the soldier as a shield. Spears with feathers on the upper part and others with fringes made of wool throughout the spear were reserved for the nobility, obviously because of their symbolic importance.^[36] In the drawings made by Guaman Poma, the Inca soldiers are represented with spears and maces most of the time.

• Hatuchaq Chuki.– It was a long polearm from 4 to 6 meters high, due to its size it was called "Pike" by the Spanish.^[37] Even though there is no clear reference about its role in battle, the magnitude of this weapon indicates a possible use in defense and siege of pukaras. Its name literally means "The biggest spear".

Wino

The Wino or Wyno is a wooden macana from the Amazon rainforest acquired by the Inca army after the conquests through the Antisuyu, it was used as one of the main melee weapons of the jungle soldiers. It functioned as a long sword made of chonta wood, with a total length of approximately 1.7 meters, 7.2 cm wide at the hilt and a round pommel.^[38] It was used with both hands and could be of two types: with a double point (in the shape of a "V") native to the Shipibo-Conibo people or with a single point, the soldiers trained in this weapon were the ones who best adapted during and after the rebellion of Manco Inca to using the spanish sword. It had a smaller version that could be used with a single hand and it's still represented in some folkloric dances in Peru.

History

Chanka-Inca War
Chanka warrior attacking an Inca soldier. The picture wrongly portrays the Incas with a tumi-like attachment on their helmet, a unique characteristic of northern cultures such as the Moche.
Date c. 1440 Location Central Andes Result Inca victory Territorial changes Chanka territory gets annexed to the Kingdom of Cusco
Belligerents
Chankas	Kingdom of Cusco
Commanders and leaders
Tomay Huaraca † Astoy Huaraca †	Cusi Yupanqui Vicaquirao † Apo Mayta

The Chanka-Inca War (c. 1440) was the last of the conflicts between the Chankas and Incas. It meant for the latter a turning point for their consolidation over the areas nearby Cusco, as well as the beginning of its territorial expansion, which led to the foundation of the Inca Empire.

Background

The first contact between Chankas and Incas occurred during the reign of Capac Yupanqui. The Quechua chiefdom, located in the Andahuaylas Province, requested an alliance with the Incas against their Chanka neighbors in case of an invasion. The Ayarmaca chiefdom had the same intentions, for which a marriage was carried out between Capac Yupanqui and Curi Hilpay, daughter of the Ayarmaca chief. Unfortunately, Capac Yupanqui was poisoned by another of his wives, the political turmoil and the seizure of power carried out by Inca Roca that followed gave the Chanka army the perfect opportunity to conquer the Quechuas.

Confident in their victories until then, the Chankas established themselves in the Apurímac River, with the clear intention to invade the region of Cusco. Thus, Inca Roca planned a surprise attack on their forces, he recruited mercenaries from the Canas and Canchis chiefdoms, and constructed a bridge over the river. The Chankas were forced to flee all the way back to Andahuaylas.

Chanka Invasions

Siege of Cusco

Legend of the Pururauca warriors

Battle of Yahuarpampa

Aftermath

Final Conquest

After coronation of Pachacuti,

See also

• History of the Incas
• Inca army
• Kingdom of Cusco
• Chanka

Bibliography

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• Chamussy, V. (2012) "Empleo de las armas arrojadizas del área centro-andina ¿Armas de caza o de guerra?".
• Chamussy, V. (2014) "Estudio sobre armas de guerra y caza en el área centro-andina. Descripción y uso de las armas de estocada y de tajo ".
• Cieza de León, Pedro. (1553) "Crónica del Perú, el señorío de los Incas."
• Cobo, Bernabé. (1964) [1653] "Historia del Nuevo Mundo".
• D'Altroy, Terence N. (2008) "The Incas. People of America".
• López, Víctor. (1980) "El Ejército Incaico, interpretación contemporánea".
• McIntyre, Loren. (1973) "The lost empire of the Incas".
• Metraux, Alfred. (1963) "Warfare, cannibalism and human trophies".
• Murúa, Martín. (1962) [1590] "Historia general del Perú, origen y descendencia de los Incas"..
• Pizarro, Pedro. (1944) [1571] "Relación del descubrimiento y conquista de los reinos del Perú".
• Rowe, John H. (1946) "Inca culture at the time of the Spanish conquest".
• Salas, Alberto M. (1950) "Las armas de la Conquista".'
• Urteaga, Horacio. (1928) "El Ejército Incaico, su organización, sus armas".

References