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The rich belonged to an ayllus of noble family
members. Members of the royals and nobility led a life of luxury.
They were exempt from taxation. They could own land. They could own
llamas. They had fine clothing. They were carried around on litters.
The boys went to school. Some were given jobs of importance in the government.
They had to be careful not to upset the Inca or they could rapidly
lose status and even their lives. But compared to the common people
who had to work very hard, their lives were ones of ease and
interest.
Clothing:
Everyone dressed in the same fashion
in the Inca Empire - rich and poor. The quality of the cloth varied.
The rich had soft clothes, heavily embroidered. The poor had coarse
wool clothes. But the style was the same. Men wore sleeveless
knee-length tunics, with ponchos or cloaks. Women wore long dresses
and capes fastened with a pin of cheap metal or heavy gold,
depending upon their status. All clothes were made of woven cotton
or wool cloth.
Coming
of Age Ceremony: When rich and poor
boys turned 14, there was a coming of age ceremony that allowed the
boys to demonstrate their physical and military skill. In a special
ceremony, the boys had their ears pierced. Then, they were presented
to the sun god, then took their place as adults. Boys from noble
families worn special clothes made for this ceremony, woven from
feathers.
Hairstyles:
Hairstyles for the men were very
important. Each noble ayllu had a distinctive hairstyle. Your
hairstyle announced your social position. Since the Incas were very
class conscious, hairstyles for the men were most important.
Earplugs:
Men wore decorative earplugs of shell
or metal. At their coming of age ceremony (at age 14), a golden disk
would be inserted in their newly pierced earlobes. Bigger disks were
continually added. These were called earplugs. Earplugs for the rich
were so heavy that their earlobes stretched over time until they
actually rested on their shoulders. This was considered quite
stylish.
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