August 20, 2008

 
   

The city must have been very well organized according to the classic Inkan City Planning. Its narrow and normally straight streets were properly paved with cobblestones and with channels in the middle or at one side of them conducting clean water that was consumed by the population. The walls of its buildings were made with carved stones, at least in the downtown area, and in the suburbs with mud-brick or "pirka" type walls but lined with painted stucco or plaster made of clay. Its roofs were thatched and very steep. The homes had a considerable scarcity of openings as doorways or windows in order to enable interior heating in cold seasons. In short, it was a pleasant organized city, and without any pollution. The ancient Inkan Metropolis was divided into two great sectors from a line formed by the roads leading towards the Antisuyo and Contisuyo, that is, the present-day streets of Triunfo, Hatun Rumiyoq, Cuesta San Blas, and on the other end the streets of Marquez, Santa Clara and Hospital. These two sectors were: towards the north, the Hanan Qosqo, modified form of "Hawan Qosqo" ("Upper Qosqo"), inhabited by the dynasty since the sixth Inkan ruler Inka Roqa. Towards the south was the Urin Qosqo which is a modified form of "Uran Qosqo" ("Lower Qosqo"); preferred since the founder of the Tawantinsuyo, Manko Qhapaq until the fifth ruler Qhapaq Yupanqui.

It is evident that city life in ancient Qosqo elapsed around its great Plaza that was found in its present location but which territory was cut off by its middle in colonial times. It is known that this huge Plaza was divided into two sectors by the Saphi ("Root") River that flowed channeled and covered by the middle of it. One of those sectors, before the today's Cathedral, was assigned for the most important political and religious ceremonies of the Tawantinsuyo. The other half of the Plaza was the Kusipata (Cheer Sector), because after the great ceremonies, the population was concentrated in this Plaza's sector in order to carry out their parties, to eat and drink. This great Plaza was paved in different segments with flagstones, and mainly covered with sea sand that enabled its use in the rainy season. By the center of those two sectors there was a special high platform known as Usnu from which the Inka, the priests or other officials could address their people.

The most important buildings were concentrated around the great Plaza, they were mainly palaces of some of the Inkan Society's Rulers Around the Kusipata Square there were no palaces yet, but the lots were already walled in and prepared for future buildings. Over here, also, every 5 days the Qhatu (market) was carried out, it was performed based on bartering of goods, and according to Martin de Murua with the attendance of about one hundred thousand people. History, tradition and reality indicate that Inkan Qosqo City in its downtown section had the shape of a Puma or Mountain Lion (Felis concolor), a feline considered as special deity among the Quechuas.