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Inca mythology
Articles about Inca mythology within South America & Caribbean.
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Manco Capac
Manco Capac is the legendary founder and first ruler of the Inca dynasty, traditionally associated with the establishment of Cusco in the Andean highlands. He belongs to the origin traditions of the Inca, or Inka, whose …
Pachacamac
Pachacamac was a major deity and oracle of the central Peruvian coast, worshipped at the large ceremonial centre now known as Pachacamac, south of modern Lima. Although often described as an Inca god, Pachacamac was prob…
Paricia
Paricia is a little-known figure associated in some modern accounts with Inca mythology, particularly with rain, floods and the destruction of an early human age. The evidence for Paricia is limited, however. Unlike bett…
Piguerao
Piguerao is an obscure name associated with Inca mythology, but its identity is not securely established in the surviving record. Modern lists of Inca beings sometimes describe Piguerao as a supernatural bird, usually co…
Quinoa-mama
Quinoa-mama is a name used for a mother or female spiritual presence associated with quinoa, the highland Andean grain known scientifically as Chenopodium quinoa. It is often presented in modern accounts as an Inca godde…
Rímac
Rímac is best understood as a sacred river and an associated spiritual presence of the central Peruvian coast rather than as a clearly defined, universally recognized Inca god. The name belongs to the Quechua word rimaq,…
Si
Si is a name sometimes listed in modern references as an Inca lunar goddess. The identification is uncertain, however. In the best-documented accounts of Inca religion, the Moon is called Quilla or Killa and is personifi…
Supay
Supay is a name from the Quechua-speaking Andes that Spanish missionaries and later writers commonly translated as “devil,” “demon,” or “evil spirit.” It is often presented as an Inca god of death or the underworld, but …
Tunupa
Tunupa is a sacred and highly variable figure of the central Andes, associated especially with the highlands of present-day Bolivia and southern Peru. He is often described as a wandering creator, prophet, culture hero o…
Tiwanaku
Tiwanaku is an ancient ceremonial and political centre in the southern Andes, near the southern shore of Lake Titicaca in present-day Bolivia. It is often placed under Inca mythology because later Inca traditions connect…
Urcaguary
Urcaguary is a little-known figure associated with Inca mythology and the hidden wealth of the earth. In modern descriptions, Urcaguary is usually presented as a subterranean guardian of gold, silver, precious stones and…