Some people did escape life on the farm. Some boys were trained as artisans. Others were trained to be the servants and temple assistants of the royals, nobles, priests. Some actually rose to rather high positions in governmental service, but they were the exceptions. Profession: Chosen Women The most beautiful 10-year-old girls of each ayllu were selected to become "chosen women".   They lived in the temples. They were taught domestic arts. They studied religion. After a few years, they were assigned jobs in the homes of the wealthy, perhaps even the home of the emperor himself. Some were sacrificed to the gods and buried on mountain peaks. Profession: Herders The Incas did not have sheep, oxen, horses, chickens, goats or pigs. They had llamas and alpacas, both greatly prized for their meat and their wool. Young boys had the job of driving off foxes or any animals that might harm the herd. The carefully collected llama dung t use as fuel in the winter. In the mountains, herders slept in small tents. They wore thick clothing to protect themselves from the cold. Profession: Craftsmen The artists of the time were well-respected. They made necklaces for the rich of gold and pearls. They made beautiful as well as functional weapons. They made many religious items. The Incas never invented the wheel, including the potters wheel. Their pottery was made by hand. It was gorgeous. The Incas are famous for a weird pot they made that has a pointed bottom. When filled, this pot balances itself upright. When it's empty, it lays on its side. They made bronze by melting copper and tin together. They mined precious metals. They made statues, knives, weapons, pins for garments, and tools. Profession: Weavers Weaving was probably the most important of all the arts. Both men and women were weavers. Weavers made blankets, ropes, clothing, baskets, and thick twisted rope cable for the suspension bridges. Some of the wool fabrics they made felt like silk. Some weavers wove feathers into their fabrics. Weavers in Peru today use the same methods as the ancient Incas. The Incas used the same methods as the people before them. Some of the designs have remained unchanged for thousands of years. Profession: Sorcerers The sorcerers were local people who had special abilities. There were not priests, but they were locally powerful because they could cast spells, read omens, and help or hinder you in your goals though the use of magic. Family Weavers Return to The Incredible Incas for Kids