The Ceque (Quechua; also zeq'e) system was a series of ritual pathways leading outward from Cuzco into the rest of the Inca Empire. The empire was divided into four sections called suyus. In fact, the local name for the empire was "Tahuantinsuyu," meaning "four parts together." Cuzco, the capital, was the center and meeting point of these four sections, which converged at Qurikancha, the temple of the sun. Cuzco was split half, Hanansaya to the North and Hurinsaya to the South, with each half containing 2 of the four suyus. Hanansaya contained Chichasuyu in the Northwest and Antisuyu in the Northeast while Hurinsaya contained Collasuyu in the Southeast and Cuntisuyu in the Southwest. Each region contained nine lines, except for the Cuntisuyu which had 14 or 15. It comes to a total of 41 or 42 known pathways radiating out from the Qurikancha or sun temple in Cuzco and lead to shrines or huacas of religious and ceremonial significance.
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Huacas
Huacas were spots of ceremonial, ritual, or religious significance arranged along pathways called Ceques. Some huacas were natural features, such as springs, boulders, or caves, while others were man-made features like buildings, fountains, or canals. The number of huacas on each line varied, typically from 3-13 or more per Ceque. Certain people from specific kin groups were designated as caretakers for each huaca.
Organization
The ceque lines originate at the Qurikancha and travel, in relatively straight pathways, to the edges of the land added to the Inca empire by Pachacuti. Four of the lines correspond to four main branches of the Inca road system. Every line was tended to by a particular social group, the huacas that fell along its path and what could be sacrificed there, calendric and astronomical events associated with it, and sometimes a description of the environment it passed through. Ceques may be relatively straight or have segments that are straight, but the paths frequently curve or zigzag. However, ceque lines do not generally cross over one another. The location of the huacas appears to dictate the path of the ceque line, not the other way around. The lines are also thought to show the social and political organization of Cuzco, specifically the Inca and non-Inca ayllu groups and where the border of each group's territory lies. The ceque lines often pass over springs or canals which were naturally occurring markers of irrigation districts.
Ceque Lines and Ritual
Some information about the purposes of the ceque system remains unclear. R.T. Zuidema has theorized that the huacas may be related to Incan understanding of astronomy. The Inca followed a synodic lunar calendar (time was measured in phases of the moon.) They observed periodic calendrical rituals celebrating events such as solstices, and different centers were used for different astronomical events. As an extension of this theory, Zuidema proposed that each huaca may represent one day in the year and that some of the ceques were used for astronomical sight lines.