Skip to content
Peruso Explains the Inca Calendar

Peruso Explains the Inca Calendar

Sun, Moon, Corn, and many knots: Peruso explains to children how the Incas understood time, festivals, and agriculture.

Peruso explains the Inca calendar

Hola, little explorers!

Today, I'll explain the Inca calendar to you. It's quite tricky. But hey, I'm Peruso: master of complicated things and master of hiding from Mom when I've messed up.

For the Incas, it wasn't just about knowing, "Is it Monday today?" Much more important was: When will it rain? When do we plant corn? When do we celebrate the sun?

At a glance

SunThe sun helped identify important times of the year.
MoonMoon phases played a role in months and festival times.
FestivalsMany months were associated with agriculture, rituals, and grand celebrations.
QuipuKnots helped with counting, remembering, and administration.
CornAgriculture was more important than any wall calendar.
Inti RaymiThe Sun Festival is celebrated every year on June 24th in Cusco today.

The calendar without a wall calendar

So, listen up! The Inca calendar wasn't a paper calendar with boxes, stickers, and "dentist at 3 PM." The Incas didn't have an alphabet like us or books like in your school bag. But they had clever ways of remembering things.

One of them was the Quipu. This was a knot system made of strings. Important people used it to record numbers, supplies, tributes, and other information. Some researchers also suspect connections to calendar knowledge. But very important: The Quipu wasn't simply "the calendar," but rather a clever memory system with knots.

Sun, Moon, and Seasons

The Incas observed the sky very closely. The sun, moon, stars, and shadows helped them identify important times of the year. This was not only exciting but vital: those who plant at the wrong time get less food.

Many depictions describe a year with twelve months or lunar periods. These months were closely linked to festivals, work in the fields, and rituals. However, it was not as exact as our calendar.

Inca calendar with sun and moon

A small example, perhaps?

Imagine: The sun is in a special position, the priests observe it closely, and everyone realizes: Now is an important time for fields, festivals, or rituals. Of course, I would first ask if there will be corn bread afterward.

What did corn have to do with it?

A lot. Corn, potatoes, and other plants were important for life in the Andes. Therefore, it was necessary to know when to sow, cultivate, and harvest. The calendar helped organize work and festivals throughout the year.

Peruso explains sun moon and corn

Inti Raymi: The Sun Festival

Inti Raymi means Sun Festival. Inti was the Inca sun god. Today, Inti Raymi is celebrated every year on June 24th in Cusco. The date is close to the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere.

For the Incas, the sun was not just a bright ball in the sky. It was warmth, life, order, and hope for new harvests.

More background information can be found at Inca Gods, Inti Raymi and Inca Mythology.

And what about the 365 days?

Our year has 365 days. The Incas also had calendar ideas that combined the solar year, lunar months, and festivals. Some ancient descriptions speak of twelve months and special extra days or compensatory periods. However, researchers are still debating exactly how the system worked.

That's why Peruso prefers to say: The Incas were sky observers, field planners, and festival professionals. They didn't just count time. They connected it with the sun, moon, mountains, water, and corn.

Remember this

  • The Incas did not have a calendar like the one on your wall. Their time system was connected to the sky, nature, and festivals.
  • Quipus were knot systems. They helped with counting, remembering, and administration.
  • The sun and moon were important. They helped identify times of the year.
  • Agriculture was the boss. Corn, potatoes, and harvests largely determined the annual cycle.
  • Inti Raymi was a major Sun Festival. Today, it is celebrated every year on June 24th in Cusco.

Peruso explains Peru, the Incas, and everything that adults sometimes take far too seriously.

(c) by PeruMagazin

More of Peru on WhatsApp Channel

New content on Peru, Inca history, culture, destinations, and Peruso appears regularly on the PeruMagazin WhatsApp Channel.

Follow PeruMagazin

Sources

  1. Peru Travel / PromPerú, Inti Raymi, Information on the Sun Festival and June 24th
  2. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System
  3. Oxford Bibliographies, Quipu, Overview of research and function of Quipus
  4. Specialist literature on the Inca calendar, including works by R. Tom Zuidema
  5. Representations after Guaman Poma de Ayala and colonial chronicles on Inca festivals and month names