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“With this in mind, he ordered an assembly of the caciques of all the land, sending out the order for each one to bring all those in their land who knew how to make buildings and were most skilled at it. He wanted to explain to them about a certain building he wanted to make in the city of Cuzco and start construction after they arrived. Then orejones and other Indians were sent to all the lords of the land. As soon as they heard the Inca’s order, they all assembled in the city. The Inca went there and consulted with them about the construction project, telling them that it was for the well-being and safety of his people. After those lords realized what the Inca had in mind and heard what he wanted to do, they told him they were eager to get the plans so they could go to work as soon as they were told the site where they were to build.

Then the next day Topa Inca Yupanque went out and looked over all the hills and sierras surrounding the city. It seemed to him best to build on a hill called Sacahuaman Urco above the city. Then he made the plans and gave them to the lords of the city and the caciques of all the land. The next day the Inca went up to the site where the fortress was to be built. He ordered that measurements be taken with cords in his presence and plans be made according to what he had imagined and said. Then the craftsmen and technicians took their cords and measured the fortress, its enclosures and walls. The day after this was done, the Inca ordered them to prepare for the foundations and for the rest of the people to bring the foundation materials from all the quarries of Oma, Salu and Guairanga, towns surround the city within five leagues. It took them two years to bring the stones, work them, make the rest of the preparations, including ropes and mixtures as well as opening and preparing fountains. With everything ready, the Inca ordered work to start on the foundations and walls. On this job, ten thousand men normally worked in orderly groups, some making the mixtures, others working the stone, and still others setting them in place. The largest number of workers had to bring the stones from the quarries already mentioned and set them in place.

One would think that these stones that they carried like this were stones that ten or twenty men could pick up and bring on their backs. In fact, most of these stones are so big that five hundred men carried one of them, and others required a thousand Indians. These stones were pulled with thick ropes made of braided sinews and braided sheepskin.

Narrative of the Incas
Juan de Betanzos
written in 1576
pages 155-157