Which treats of the riches of the temple of Curicancha, and of the veneration in which the Incas held it.

HAVING completed an account of some things that it is necessary for my purpose that I should describe, we will then return to the succession of the kings that ruled down to Huascar, recounting the events of each reign with great brevity. But now I will speak of the great, most wealthy, and most renowned temple of Curicancha, which was the principal one in all these kingdoms.

It is a received fact among the Indians that this temple is as ancient as the city of Cuzco itself. But the Inca Yupanqui, son of Viracocha Inca, increased its riches to the extent in which it was found when the Christians arrived in Peru. Most of the treasure was brought to Caxamarca for the ransom of Atahualpa, as we shall relate in its place. The Orejones say that after the doubtful war between the inhabitants of Cuzco and the Chancas, who are now chiefs of the province of Andahuaylas, the Inca Yupanqui found himself very rich and powerful, and people came to serve him from all parts, bringing presents; and the provinces contributed great service in gold and silver. For in those days there were very rich mines and veins of the precious metals. Finding himself so rich and powerful, the Inca resolved to ennoble the house of the Sun, which in their language is called Inti-huasi, and also Curi-cancha, meaning “the place of gold”, and to increase its wealth. That all those who may see and read this may understand how rich the temple at Cuzco was, and the merit of those who built and completed such great things, I here will preserve the memory of it. I will relate what I saw, and what I heard from many of the first Christians, who received the account from the three men[140] that first came from Caxamarca, and who saw everything. But the Indians themselves tell us so much, and are so truthful, that other evidence is unnecessary.

This temple was more than four hundred paces in circuit, entirely surrounded by a strong wall. The whole edifice was of excellent masonry, the stones very well placed and fixed. Some of the stones were very large. There was no mortar, either of earth or lime, but a sort of bitumen with which they used to fix their stones. The stones themselves are so well worked that no joining or cement can be seen. In all Spain I have not seen anything that could be compared with the masonry of these walls, except the tower which they call Calahorra, near the bridge of Cordova, and a work which I saw at Toledo, when I came there to present the First Part of my Chronicle to the Prince Don Felipe.[141] I allude to the hospital which the Archbishop of Toledo, Tavera, ordered to be built.[142] Although these edifices have some resemblance to those I have mentioned, yet they are the best as regards the masonry of the walls, the stones being so admirably worked, and placed with such great ingenuity. The encircling wall was straight, and very well traced out.

The stone appeared to me to be of a dusky or black colour, and most excellent for building purposes. The wall had many openings, and the doorways were very well carved. Round the wall, half way up, there was a band of gold, two palmos wide and four dedos in thickness. The doorways and doors were covered with plates of the same metal. Within there were four houses, not very large, but with walls of the same kind, and covered with plates of gold within and without, as well as the woodwork. The covering was of straw, which served as a roof. Against the wall there were two benches, from which the Sun could be seen when it rose. The stone in front was subtly bored, and the holes were adorned with emeralds and other precious stones. These benches were for the kings, and no one else was allowed to use them on pain of death.

At the doors of these houses porters were stationed to keep guard over the virgins, many of whom were daughters of great lords, the most beautiful and charming that could be found. They remained in the temple until they became old. If one of them had knowledge of a man, they killed her by burying her alive; and the same penalty was suffered by the man. These women were called mama-cunas. Their only occupations were to weave and dye woollen cloth for the service of the temple, and to make chicha, which is the wine they make, of which they always kept large full jars.

In one of these houses, which was the richest, there was the figure of the sun, very large and made of gold, very ingeniously worked, and enriched with many precious stones. This temple also contained some of the figures of the former Incas who had reigned in Cuzco, and also a vast quantity of treasure.

Round the temple there were numerous small dwellings of Indians who were employed in its service; and there was an enclosure where they kept the white lambs, children, and men for sacrifice. They had also a garden, the clods of which were made of pieces of fine gold; and it was artificially sown with golden maize, the stalks, as well as the leaves and cobs, being of that metal. They were so well planted, that even when there was a high wind they were not torn up. Besides all this, they had more than twenty golden sheep with their lambs, and the shepherds with their slings and crooks to watch them, all made of the same metal. There was a great quantity of jars of gold and silver, set with emeralds; vases, pots, and all sorts of utensils, all of fine gold. On other walls were sculptured and painted various notable things; and, in fine, it was one of the richest temples in the world.

The High Priest, called Villac Umu, resided in the temple, and offered up the ordinary sacrifices, accompanied by superstitious rites, with the help of the other priests, according to their custom. At the important festivals the Inca was present at the sacrifices, and there were great rejoicings. Within the enclosure of the temple there were more than thirty granaries of silver in which the maize was stored; and many provinces sent their tribute for the service of the temple. On certain days the devil was seen by the priests, who gave them deceptive answers, in conformity with what might be expected from him.

Many other things might be said of this temple, which I omit because it seems to me that I have said enough to shew what a grand place it was; so I shall not treat further of the silver work, of the chaquira, of the plumes of gold and other things, which, if I wrote down, I should not be believed. That which I have described has been seen, or the greater part, by Christians who are still alive, when it was brought to Caxamarca as a ransom for Atahualpa. But a great deal was hidden by the Indians, and is now buried and lost. Although all the Incas added to the adornment of the temple, in the time of the Inca Yupanqui its riches were increased to such an extent that when he died, and his son Tupac Inca succeeded, it remained in its complete state.