Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 1 (of 8): Aboriginal America
History
Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 1 (of 8): Aboriginal America
America -- Discovery and exploration; America -- History; United States -- History
addressed to the god Ticsi Uira-cocha; the Sun, Moon, and Thunder being
occasionally invoked in conjunction with the principal deity.
The worship of this creating God, the Dweller in Space, the Teacher
and Ruler of the Universe, was, then, the religion of the Incas which
had been inherited from their distant ancestry of the cyclopean age.
Around this primitive cult had grown up a supplemental worship of
creatures created by the Deity, such as the heavenly bodies, and of
objects supposed to represent the first ancestors of _ayllus_, or
tribes, as well as of the prototypes of things on whom man’s welfare
depended, such as flocks and animals of the chase, fruit and corn.
It has been asserted that the Deity, the Uira-cocha himself, did not
generally receive worship, and that there was only one temple in
honor of God throughout the empire, at a place called Pachacamac, on
the coast. But this is clearly a mistake. The great temple at Cuzco,
with its gorgeous display of riches, was called the “Ccuri-cancha
Pacha-yachachicpa huasin,” which means “the place of gold, the abode
of the Teacher of the Universe.” An elliptical plate of gold was fixed
on the wall to represent the Deity, flanked on either side by metal
representations of his creatures, the Sun and Moon. The chief festival
in the middle of the year, called Ccapac Raymi, was instituted in
honor of the supreme Creator, and when, from time to time, his worship
began to be neglected by the people, who were apt to run after the
numerous local deities, it was again and again enforced by their more
enlightened rulers. There were Ccuri-canchas for the service of God, at
Vilca and in other centres of vice-regal rule, besides the grand fane
of Cuzco.[1180]
[Illustration: TEMPLE OF THE SUN.
[After a cut in Marcoy, i. p. 234, where it is said to be drawn from
existing remains and printed and manuscript authorities. The modern
structure of the convent of Santo Domingo, built in 1534, is at A,
which contains in its construction some remains of the walls of the
older edifice. B is a cloister. C, an outer court. D, fountains for
purification. E are streets leading to the great square of Cuzco. F,
the garden where golden flowers were once placed; now used as a kitchen
garden. G, the chapel dedicated to the moon. H, chapel dedicated to
Venus and the Milky Way. I, chapel dedicated to thunder and lightning.
J, chapel dedicated to the rainbow. K, council hall of the grand
pontiff and priests of the sun. L, the apartments of the priests and
servants. See the view of the temple from Montanus in Vol. II. p. 555,
and a modern view in Wiener’s. _Pérou et Bolivie_, p. 318. Other plans
and views are in Squier’s _Peru_, pp. 430-445.—ED.]]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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