Weapons of the Inca The Inca garnered a massive empire. Because of the diversity and scape of their empire, it demanded different type of warfare and thus different warriors and weaponry. The Inca seen above represent a small segment of weaponry from across the empire. Inca were known for their ability in spear throwing, having specialized spears that would often have a rifling effect as they flew through the air. The spears were often tipped with copper, obsidion, or sharpened bone. In contrast, the Incas who inhabited rainforests were known as excellent marksmen with bows and arrows. The Incan warriors were also big users of slings. They were very accurate and could lob stones up to 100 some feet. In contrast, Incans used a variety of skilled close range weapons. The chonta or wooden swords, and bronze and stone clubs were used to break bones when in proximity. For Armor, the Incas usually carried two shields, one tough one protecting the back that was worn around the neck, and a shorter one used for combat defense. Head protection was very common, and for body armor they often wore cotton vests stuffed with rock salt. Sources consulted:
Chaddha, Rima. "Outfitting for Inca Battles." PBS. PBS, 1 Jan. 2010. Web. 19 Dec. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/battle-gear.html>.





