## Highlights ### 252578697 Inca prioritized productivity not fun > if there was an iconic Inca sport, I have somehow missed it. The Inca were not big advocates of unstructured fun or really free time in general. You might say the Inca's real sport was making sure everyone had something to do. - [View Highlight](https://reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/nqkyhy/what_sports_if_any_did_the_incas_play?__readwiseLocation=2%2F0%2F0%2F4%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F5%2F1%2F0%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A206%2C2%2F0%2F0%2F4%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F5%2F1%2F0%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A432#:~:text=if%20there%20was%20an%20iconic%2Ceveryone%20had%20something%20to%20do.) ### 252578670 Inca puberty rites were competitive > The Inca themselves did have a few things that could be mistaken for sports, although all of them did have some other kind of purpose as well. > > The first thing that comes to my mind is long-distance footraces, especially during the puberty rites. Every Inca boy ran something like a marathon in front of most of Cuzco before he got to tie on a breech cloth, have his ears pierced by the Emperor himself, and take on a new adult name. The top ten runners got to wear special clothing to celebrate their victory, and it was a normal thing for their accomplishment to be a major part of their reputation as an adult for the rest of their lives. The last ten runners across the finish line wore special clothing to shame them, and their failure was definitely viewed as a bad omen for their future. - [View Highlight](https://reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/nqkyhy/what_sports_if_any_did_the_incas_play?__readwiseLocation=0%2F1%2F0%2F4%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F5%2F1%2F0%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A198%2C0%2F2%2F0%2F4%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F5%2F1%2F0%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A650#:~:text=The%20Inca%20themselves%20did%20have%2Cbad%20omen%20for%20their%20future.) ### 252578695 board games are war games > They also had several boardgames for which the rules have been lost, and there is a strong possibility they played war games with wooden pieces representing military units as a kind of teaching tool for students who might one day become generals. - [View Highlight](https://reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/nqkyhy/what_sports_if_any_did_the_incas_play?__readwiseLocation=0%2F5%2F0%2F4%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F5%2F1%2F0%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A197%2C0%2F5%2F0%2F4%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F5%2F1%2F0%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A443#:~:text=They%20also%20had%20several%20boardgames%2Cmight%20one%20day%20become%20generals.) ### 252578693 Inca drinking games > The Inca were proud drinkers, and different families with established rivalries would often choose champions who would perch themselves on a high stool and offer and receive toasts to one another using akha, corn beer, until someone was unable to control himself any longer and remain sitting with dignity. - [View Highlight](https://reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/nqkyhy/what_sports_if_any_did_the_incas_play?__readwiseLocation=0%2F6%2F0%2F4%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F5%2F1%2F0%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A87%2C0%2F6%2F0%2F4%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F5%2F1%2F0%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A393#:~:text=The%20Inca%20were%20proud%20drinkers%2C%2Cand%20remain%20sitting%20with%20dignity.)