Encyclopedia of the Incas

Imperial governance was based on standard principles, drawn from the Incas’
evolving notions of sociopolitical hierarchy, applied to the societies brought
under Cuzco’s authority. The intent seems to have been to forge a nominally
homogeneous polity, presided over by the divine king and his relatives. Despite
their claims, however, the Incas never achieved uniform, ubiquitous control over
their subjects. Instead, the imperial presence varied markedly over space and
context. The archaeologist John Hyslop suggested that imperial rule actually
consisted of an array of networks—military, political, economic, and ideological
—that coincided at particular times and places.
Inca rule blended the personal and the institutional in the Sapa Inca, the
aristocracy and imperial institutions, such as the temples and service groups.
Because the ruler personified the state, the imperial, the divine, and the royal
were often treated as one and the same. The administration was conducted by
imposed hierarchies of officials, local lords, and people drawn into special
service, willingly or not. The practicalities of governance were complicated by
the great variety of subject societies, which required accommodations to specific
circumstances. While the structure and demands of imperial rule intruded
heavily into the lives of the Incas’ subjects, the contexts of interaction were
limited and much of the cycle of community life continued as before for much of
the year. A great deal of internal diversity was accepted or even enforced. Local
languages, material culture or social customs were permitted so long as they did
not interfere with imperial interests. Particular features were required, such as
the distinctive headgear that identified subjects as members of one or another
society, because they facilitated keeping tabs on things (see Costume). In
imperial business, therefore, selective standardization was the order of the day.
The material stamp of imperial presence was manifested through facilities,
insignia, and tools. The most important expression occurred in the Cuzco
heartland, at the reconstructed capital and the royal estates that occupied most of
the surrounding lands within 50–60 kilometers (30–37 miles) of the capital.
Elsewhere, Inca power was most visible in the network of more than 2,000
administrative facilities, linked by the road system. Access to the largest
provincial center (e.g., Huánuco Pampa), the smallest roadside tambo, or way
station, any storage facility, or the road itself was reserved for those on approved
business. In the centers’ design, the Incas applied their notions of the proper
layout of space (e.g., dualism and quadripartition) and activities within it. The
Incas’ distinctive architectural style and art of stonecutting provided an
unmistakable mark of imperial presence. Entry, movement, sight lines, and