Year after year, a cadre of apupanca, judges or commissioners, traveled throughout the empire and selected girls between the ages of eight and ten to become "chosen ones." The most beautiful were taken from their families, and many towns suffered as well. They were instructed by the Coya herself. These girls had to be the most beautiful and un-blemished within the land. There were very stringent rules about foreign-born bloodlines and parentage. Thank god, I was not beautiful.

The younger girls were called Acllas, which means "chosen women." After selection, they were taken to the provincial capitals to the houses of the Mamacunas. Here they learned religious rites and ceremonies "as well as occupations that correspond to women and that are necessary to human life. They were also taught how to spin and weave clothing of wool, cotton, and vicuna which was very fine and delicate, of excellent quality, and in a variety of very bright colors." (Cobo, 172-174) Those who were further instructed in Cuzco were actually taught by the Coya in conjunction with the Inca’s sister, the Abbess.

These sacred women were also expected to maintain a reverent cleanliness. How does one do this? Poma depicted the women, washing their hair and bathing. This is one cultural clue that has been used to identify at least a general location of their confines. An ancient connection to women and water goes back to an earlier Coya, who brought the knowledge of irrigation into the Cuzco valley. It seems the women shared irrigation duties, which can be seen in Pomo’s drawing of a young woman opening an irrigation canal.

The "chosen ones" would remain in these schools until they reached age 14. Then, during Raymi, the apupanca would return and chose those who would proceed on to Cuzco to be seen by the Inca. The exact number of girls chosen each year varied based upon need.

There were two distinct classes, the Aclla or "chosen women" and the Mamacunas or "virgins of the sun." Within these two sects, there was still a more precise categorization of the women in Cuzco (Pomo, 216-218):

The most revered class of women was that of the Guayrur Aclla or Mamacunas. In Cuzco, these women were housed separately from the other Aclla and only came into contact with them during shared meals. These women, who were dedicated to the Sun at Cuzco, had to be of pure Incan blood. Even though beauty was an important prerequisite to selection into the ranks of the most sacred, their bloodline was of paramount importance. Those with any foreign blood or any question as to their parentage were excluded from the Mamacunas. (Garcilaso, 195-196) These women remained chaste for their entire lives dedicating themselves to the service of the Gods they served.

The second division of women, probably made up mostly of Pampa Aclla Conas, the most beautiful, were assigned as servants and concubines. They were often "gifts" handed out to both the ruler's wife and other nobles. Frequently used as rewards to captains and to various caciques for their faithfulness, these Aclla women have been described as the most important commodity of the Inca.

Generally, the people greatly respected these women, especially the Mamacunas, who were looked up to as saints. The sacred women had intimate dealings and were able to communicate with their gods. The people did not even dare to touch the clothing of these women. Because of this respect, the Mamacunas were not so closely restricted to the temple complex and were safe to move throughout the city unmolested. However, strict laws were enacted to protect all the sacred women from assault. "It should be known that those whose offenses were considered most serious and most severe were the ones found in whatever way speaking of love, making merry, or actually sleeping with a married woman or with a Mamacuna priestess of the sun or of the Inca or of any of the statues of lords dead and gone..."(Bernidados, 101)

The Acllahuasi

Due to the importance of the sacred women, their houses were constructed in much the same way as the royal structures with fine stonework and luxury. It was built adjacent to or near the Sun temple complex. Access was restricted by high walls and a single official double jamb doorway. There was always an ample water supply within the compound with fountains, baths or pools. An open court or pampa would be a part of the Acllahuasi with store houses nearby.

For anyone who dared to scale the walls of the Acllahuasi, a death sentence was imposed. Garcilaso expands on this punishment, "as they thought it was a small punishment merely to kill a man for so grave an offense as venturing to violate a woman dedicated to the sun, their god and father of their kings, the law provided that the guilty man's wife, children and servants should be slain too, together with his kinsmen, his neighbors and his fellow townsmen, and all his flocks, without leaving a babe or suckling, as the saying is. His village was destroyed and strewn with rocks, and the home and birthplace of so wicked a son left forsaken and desolate and the place accursed, to remain untrodden by the foot of man or beast, if possible."

Note: Lloque Yupanqui is credited with building the first Acllahuasi.

Sources: Acllacunas: Sacred Women of the Inca Empire; Incan Women.

Inti aclla wasi!

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