Above illustration: inca man farming corn - http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/04/inca-empire/clark-photography
The Ayllu
At the base of the social pyramid of the Inca Empire was the ayllu, a clan of families living together in a restricted area who shared land, animals, and crops.
Everyone belonged to an ayllu. The commune could be small or large; it could even be a town. Everyone in the empire was part of an ayllu and once a person was born into an ayllu they remained part of that ayllu their entire life.
No individuals owned land; land was owned by the ayllu, or the emperor, and was only loaned to each member for its use.
Each autumn the land was divided again; the allotments were increased or decreased depending upon the size of the family. Planting and harvesting were communal.
Commoners
At the lowest rung of Inca society were the farmers and the craftsmen.
Peasant Farmers
The farmers worked on the land given to them by the Inca. The daily life of a peasant farmer in the Inca Empire was full of hard work. The only time peasants were allowed not to work was during religious festivals. Other than that, they were expected to be working when they were not sleeping.
Artisans/Craftsmen
The craftsmen made objects of gold, copper, and silver.
The Inca stonemasons were so highly skilled, that no mortar was required to hold their buildings together.
Artisans were commoners, but were also considered a higher social class than the farmers. They worked on crafts such as pottery or gold jewelry for the nobles.
At the base of the social pyramid of the Inca Empire was the ayllu, a clan of families living together in a restricted area who shared land, animals, and crops.
Everyone belonged to an ayllu. The commune could be small or large; it could even be a town. Everyone in the empire was part of an ayllu and once a person was born into an ayllu they remained part of that ayllu their entire life.
No individuals owned land; land was owned by the ayllu, or the emperor, and was only loaned to each member for its use.
Each autumn the land was divided again; the allotments were increased or decreased depending upon the size of the family. Planting and harvesting were communal.
Commoners
At the lowest rung of Inca society were the farmers and the craftsmen.
Peasant Farmers
The farmers worked on the land given to them by the Inca. The daily life of a peasant farmer in the Inca Empire was full of hard work. The only time peasants were allowed not to work was during religious festivals. Other than that, they were expected to be working when they were not sleeping.
Artisans/Craftsmen
The craftsmen made objects of gold, copper, and silver.
The Inca stonemasons were so highly skilled, that no mortar was required to hold their buildings together.
Artisans were commoners, but were also considered a higher social class than the farmers. They worked on crafts such as pottery or gold jewelry for the nobles.