Women

Women in the Inca Empire played an important role in daily life. They helped farm, cook, care for children, and make clothing. Their work kept families and villages strong. One of the most important jobs for women was weaving cloth. Cloth was very valuable and used for trade, taxes, and religious ceremonies.

The Chosen Women were girls selected at a very young age, often around childhood or early teenage years, because they were healthy, skilled, or came from important families. They lived together in special houses and were trained to make the finest cloth in the Inca Empire, woven so carefully that it was only worn by the Sapa Inca, nobles, or used in religious ceremonies. Some Chosen Women became priestesses who helped lead ceremonies and made predictions by watching signs in nature, such as the sun, stars, weather, or unusual events. People believed these predictions could tell whether there would be good harvests or difficult times ahead.