s. In the latter
instance it is expressly stated that it was always one man out of the ten
who governed and rendered account of the remaining nine. The four chief
recorders dwelt in Cuzco but "left it every year and returned in February
to make their report ... bringing with them the tribute of the whole
empire. They also reported upon the administration every year recording
the births and deaths that had occurred among men and flocks, the yield of
crops and all other details, with great minuteness" (Polo de Ondegardo).

From the recorded details of organization we learn that the governmental
scheme introduced by the Incas was based on the assumption that the
standard population of the empire should number 40,000 individuals under
the civil rulership of 4 recorders, 40 first-grade officers, 400
second-grade officers, 4,000 third-grade officers--each of the last being
responsible for nine individuals besides himself. It is noteworthy that
the three grades of officers correspond to the threefold division of the
entire produce of the land, between the Inca, the Huaca and the Ayllu,
equivalent to the religious government, the civil government and the
people--to the Above, Below and Middle. The minimal division of people into
groups of ten of which one was the governmental representative
corresponds, moreover, to the classification into the following ten
categories, according to their ages:

1. Mosoc-aparic: baby, "newly begun," "just born."
2. Saya-huarma: child, "standing boy," age 2-6.
3 Macta-puric: "child that can walk," age 6-8.
4. Itanta-requisic: "bread-receiver," boy about 8.
5. Pucllac-huarma: "playing boy," age 8-16.
6. Cuca-pallac: "Coca pickers," age 16-20.
7. Yma-huayna: "as a youth," light service, age 20-25.
8. Puric: "able-bodied," tribute and service, age 25-50.
9. Chaupi-rucca: elderly, light service, age 50-60.
10. Punuc-rucca: dotage, no work, 60 upwards.(22)

Although for statistical purposes, exact registers of each of these groups
were annually made by the recorders, it is evident that the purics or
"able-bodied" men constituted the most important portion of the
population. They naturally fell into two groups consisting of the nobility
and commoners, but scattered evidence amply provides that they were
strictly classified according to the special service or tribute they
rendered to the government. The best produce of each province was brought
to Cuzco.

The inhabitants of each region were spec