There was almost no
crime in the Inca Empire. Inca laws were very harsh. Punishment
was swift.
Death: If you insulted the Sapa Inca, cursed the gods, or committed a murder, you were thrown off a cliff.
Begging Bowls: If you
were caught stealing or cheating, you either had your hands and
feet cut off, or your eyes gouged out. True, the state did take
care of you after that. They clothed and fed you. Every day,
criminals were taken to the city gates and assigned a begging
bowl. As people passed by, criminals had to announce their
crimes. People would toss food or small trinkets into the bowls
if stories were good. That way, each criminal could prove how
many people had stopped to listen as they confessed their crime
over and over. The people had daily reminders of what would
happen to them if they broke the law.