564 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I02 



1521. Between this convent and the Sun Temple there was another 

 large ward which came out on the great Sun Plaza called Intipampa. 

 These nuns or chosen virgins had no definite number; the rule was 

 that they had to be daughters of the Inca kings or of their legal 

 relatives ; none could be illegitimate, for the Sun could not be offered 

 as a bride, a woman who was not a legitimate child. There was 

 likewise a dispensation for any woman who was extremely beautiful ; 

 they brought her in from any part of the empire to be the Sun's 

 bride, and her excellent beauty made up for any lack of high birth. 

 They had to be virgins, and so they put them in the House of the 

 Chosen Virgins in early girlhood. 



1522. There were Mamacuna, who were the elders and ancients 

 in that profession and cloistered existence. They were the ones who 

 governed the house as Superiors or Mothers for them all, for the 

 word mama in the Indian tongue means mother, and cuna is the 

 plural form of the word meaning all ; and so they gave them this 

 name of Mamacuna, Mothers or Superiors of all ; for from their 

 long residence they knew what was professed, what was to be observed, 

 and what instruction should be given the new arrivals. They were 

 cloistered in perpetuity, with no parlor or other place where anyone 

 might see them or speak to them, not even their own parents ; for 

 they said that once that the virgins were handed over to their father 

 the Sun, no one else might see or speak to them, for that would be 

 showing slight respect to their god. 



This convent had its main entrance or canonical gate, through 

 which the nuns-to-be entered, and the Queen or Coya ; her daughters 

 and she came in to visit them on the part of the King and herself ; 

 for although the King might go in and visit them, he would not 

 do it, either for the good example or to prevent other Incas or lords 

 whose daughters were there, from asking for an exception that they 

 might visit them ; they were very devoted to their false religion. 



1523. In this Convent of the Chosen Virgins there was a narrow 

 passageway which ran through the entire building ; there were many 

 rooms and cubbyholes opening on it which were used for service, 

 cooking, and all else needful for attendance on the Chosen Virgins ; 

 women gatekeepers were at the doors of all these rooms ; beyond 

 them were the living quarters of the Chosen Virgins, consorts of 

 the Sun. Their chief occupation, for which they were consecrated, 

 was to go at stated hours and pray, as chosen and beloved consorts 

 of the Sun, for the good health and long life of the Incas and the 

 preservation and increase of their territories, for which they were 

 solicitous ; and they used the time which was available after these 



