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Design, Construction, and Measurement in the Inka Empire

In: Architecture and Mathematics from Antiquity to the Future

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  • William D. Sapp

    (San Bernardino National Forest)

Abstract

Despite extensive studies of Inka architecture, we still don't know what measurements and mathematical relationships were used in the design of buildings and the placement of niches, windows and doors. Building layouts reflect Inka architectural canons, but substantial variations occur both within and between sites. The Inka knew of the plumb bob, and possibly the sliding scale. There are Quechua (Inka) words for anthropomorphic measurements including the half arm-span or yard (sikya), the forearm or cubit (cuchuch), the foot (chaqui), and the hand-span (capa). The use of ratios based on anthropomorphic units to describe and design buildings would have allowed the use of quipu to transmit measurements. Quipus were sets of colored strings in which different types of knots were tied. String colors indicated categories and knots indicated numbers of units.

Suggested Citation

  • William D. Sapp, 2015. "Design, Construction, and Measurement in the Inka Empire," Springer Books, in: Kim Williams & Michael J. Ostwald (ed.), Architecture and Mathematics from Antiquity to the Future, edition 127, chapter 0, pages 361-372, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-319-00137-1_25
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-00137-1_25
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