The Fundamental Principles of Old and New World Civilizations: A Comparative Research Based on a Study of the Ancient Mexican Religious, Sociological, and Calendrical SystemsNuttall, Zelia
Religion
The Fundamental Principles of Old and New World Civilizations: A Comparative Research Based on a Study of the Ancient Mexican Religious, Sociological, and Calendrical Systems
“Inca Yupanqui appears to have been the first to order and settle
ceremonies and religions. He it was who established the twelve months of
the year, giving a name to each and ordaining the ceremonies that were to
be observed in each. For although his ancestors used months and years
counted by the quippus, yet they were never previously regulated until the
time of this Lord. He was of such clear understanding that he reflected
upon the respect and reverence shown by his ancestors to the Sun who
worshipped it as a God. He observed that it never had any rest and that it
daily journeyed round the earth; and he said to those of his council that
_it was not possible that the Sun could be the God who created all things,
for if he was he would not permit a small cloud to obscure his splendour;
and that if he was creator of all things he would sometimes rest and light
up the whole world from one spot. Thus it cannot be otherwise but that
there is someone who directs him and this is the Pacha-Yachachi, the
Creator_, literally, the Teacher of the World.” His predecessors had
ordered an oval plate of fine gold which was to serve as an image of the
Creator of heaven and earth, and, in order to convey this meaning it was
placed between images of the sun and moon; a proof that the latter were
employed as symbols of heaven and earth.
Inca Yupanqui, however, also caused a statue of the Creator to be made of
fine gold and of the size of a boy of ten years of age in order to convey
the idea of his eternal youth. “It was in the shape of a man standing up,
the right arm raised and the hand almost closed, the fingers and thumb
raised as one who was giving an order.” The second gold statue he had
made, a personification of the sun “which was dressed like the Inca and
wore all his insignia,” shows he claimed to be and constituted himself as
the visible representative and Lord of the Above. The silver female statue
of the Moon doubtlessly exhibited, in the same manner, the insignia of the
Coya. Inca Yupanqui also ordered the houses and temple of Quisuar-cancha
to be built and, at this spot, Sir Clements Markham observed an ancient
wall, with serpents carved upon it. The name signifies, literally, “the
place of the Quisuar tree,” and will be again referred to further on.
Without pausing to discuss the subject at length let us examine further
the scheme of government, etc., introduced by the Incas, the most striking
feature of which was the systematical classification of the people, their
assignment to specified dwelling places and the distribution of labor
according to prescription.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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