User:Kloewen13/Inca Ritual

Ritual in the Inca empire in the Andes region of South America helps to provide insight into indigenous religion. The origins myths and various ritual do not simply occur as isolated institutions in a society; they can be understood as precipitates of a much broader social process. The origin myths in ancient stratified societies served as important ways to support the privileges given to the rulers of these societies. Social inequity can be explained and justified through the actions of cultural hero, such as those in the Inca origin story. By reenacting these myths through various rituals, the ruling class reestablished their ancestral ties with the mythical personages and events, along with their access to metaphysics forces.

Practically everything in the Inca culture connected back to religion. This included marriage, agriculture, government, funerals, the treatment of mummy, etc. Everything that happened could be due to the influence of the gods and the ancestors of the Incas, whether it was a success or a failure. Therefore, it was vital for the Inca to keep the gods and ancestors content. They believed that the wrath of the gods could come in the form of natural disasters such as earthquakes or drought, the Inca partook in a variety of religious practices and ceremony.

The Inca culture had many influences from Andean civilizations that came before them, and the worship of the Sun, Moon, stars and planets were among many practices that they had. Many of the rituals and ceremonies centered around astronomy and cosmology observations. Specifically in the Inca creation story, Viracocha, the principal creator deity, was believed to have created the Sun, Moon, and stars at Lake Titicaca.

In Cuzco, August and April (two major months for the planting and harvesting of maize) were marked by major festivals in which the Sun was observed. These rituals reflect how intimately agriculture, the Sun, and the ruler were related in Inca ideology. During the ceremonies that involved Sun worship and agriculture, the ruling Sapa Inca served as a central figure. Through his participation in these ceremonies, his position as a semi-divinity and the primary authority of the empire was confirmed.

Rituals

• Conquest of fields - The maize rituals of the Inca were performed with the elite dressed in the finest of their military regalia, with the earth breaking itself coordinated with joyful songs about agriculture and warfare. This annual ground-breaking ceremony, also addressing how humankind came to dominate nature, was a ritual re-enactment of the battle that took place between humankind and nature.
• Capacocha (also referred to as capac hucha) - child sacrifices.

Ritual Calendar as Described by Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala

• January- Capac Raymi Caymi Quilla: During this month, the Inca made sacrifices and fasts and penance. They hold processions to the temples of the Sun and the Moon, as well as other idols. The ceremonies are held by high priests and shamans who paid homage.
• February- Gold, silver, and camelids were sacrificed for the Sun, Moon, the stars and the highest mountain peaks during the season of scarcity and hunger.
• March- This was a plentiful time, with ceremonies for the sacrifice of black llamas held by shamans who avoided things such as salt, sex, and fruit during the month.
• April- This was a time for fiestas, in which multicolored llamas were sacrificed, and songs were sung to the llamas and rivers.
• May- A month of smaller fiestas, because it was the time of harvest, with camelids of every color being offered as sacrifices.
• June- Inti Raymi: According to the tradition of the Inca, the first Inca created the Inti Raymi in order to celebrate the winter solstice, marking the first day of the New Year in the Incan calendar. During this celebration, children were sacrificed at shrines throughout Tawantinsuyu.
• July- This month was devoted to preparing the fields for planting. Sacrifices to the Sun and river systems were made, to prevent them from damaging future crops.
• August- Farm fields were tilled and planted during August, and local Huacas all throughout were offered guinea pigs, mullu, maize, chicha, and children.
• September- This month held the fiesta of the Moon, the Wife of the Sun and the Queen of all planets and stars. This is also when the Inca ruler would deploy his army to wipe the pestilence out of the land.
• October- This month was devoted to the rites focused on rainfall, with many ceremonies held involving weeping.
• November- November held feasts for the dead ancestors, with mummies being visited in their tombs.
• December- Capac Inti Raymi: the Sun was honored with sacrifices of gold, silver, fine vessels, and human sacrifice.

Important Structures and Sites for Ceremony and Ritual

The Ushnu

An ushnu was a ceremonial pyramid-shaped, terraced platforms that are difficult to define due to their multidimensional nature. They could act as a government site, an area for libation of chicha, a production of ceremonial offerings that were present in the ritual calendar, a place for conducting astronomical observations, or a central base for urban planning. The Ushnu concept, which was strongly associated with the platforms in the plazas, is also evident in many non-Inca territories. This might be related to the efforts of the nobility to symbolically unify themselves with the commons, a unification that was associated to this specific place in the plaza. The ushnu complex included several elements of the landscape that were directly connected to the rock platform, including canals that were dug to run through the plaza and into the ushnu that was present in a variety of sites.

Mt. Llullaillaco

Mt. Llullaillaco is the location of multiple nearly perfectly preserved tombs from the child sacrifices known as Capacocha.

• One burial at this site revealed the remains of a young boy, age seven. He was uncovered with small bags that held coca leaves and traces of human hair.
• Another burial held the remains of the oldest Capacocha mummy, who was age fifteen. She was found with several offerings, including ceramic vessels, wooden cups, several woven bags, figurines, etc.
• The last burial uncovered holds the remains of a six year old girl, who is called the Lightning Girl due to her body being struck by lightning postmortem. She held a rich variety of offerings, and was clothed in a headdress and shawl. She was likely of the highest status of all the victims uncovered at Llullaillaco.