My antecedents were people of the Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (Quechua: Tawantinsuyu, lit. "land of four parts"), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The Inca civilization rose from the Peruvian highlands sometime in the early 13th century. The Spanish began the conquest of the Inca Empire in 1532 and by 1572, the last Inca state was fully conquered.
From 1438 to 1533, the Incas incorporated a large portion of western South America, centred on the Andean Mountains, using conquest and peaceful assimilation, among other methods. At its largest, the empire joined modern-day Peru, what are now western Ecuador, western and south central Bolivia, northwest Argentina, the south-westernmost tip of Colombia and a large portion of modern-day Chile into a state comparable to the historical empires of Eurasia. Its official language was Quechua.
The Inca Empire was unique in that it lacked many of the features associated with civilization in the Old World. Anthropologist Gordon McEwan wrote that the Incas were able to construct "one of the greatest imperial states in human history" without the use of the wheel, draft animals, knowledge of iron or steel, or even a system of writing. Notable features of the Inca Empire included its monumental architecture, especially stonework, extensive road network (Qhapaq Ñan) reaching all corners of the empire, finely-woven textiles, use of knotted strings (quipu or khipu) for record keeping and communication, agricultural innovations and production in a difficult environment, and the organization and management fostered or imposed on its people and their labour.
The Inca Empire functioned largely without money and without markets. Instead, exchange of goods and services was based on reciprocity between individuals and among individuals, groups, and Inca rulers. "Taxes" consisted of a labour obligation of a person to the Empire. The Inca rulers (who theoretically owned all the means of production) reciprocated by granting access to land and goods and providing food and drink in celebratory feasts for their subjects.
Many local forms of worship persisted in the empire, most of them concerning local sacred huacas or wak’a, but the Inca leadership encouraged the sun worship of Inti—their sun god—and imposed its sovereignty above other religious groups, such as that of Pachamama. The Incas considered their king, the Sapa Inca, to be the "son of the Sun".
The Inca economy, especially in the past, was often the subject of scholarly debate. Darrell E. La Lone, in his work The Inca as a Nonmarket Economy, noted that scholars have previously described it as "feudal, slave, [or] socialist," as well as "a system based on reciprocity and redistribution; a system with markets and commerce; or an Asiatic mode of production."
Duality manifested in the Inca society’s organization, with reciprocal relationships between rulers and subjects forming the bedrock of political legitimacy. Duality and reciprocity extends to the spiritual realm, reflecting the Inca worldviews balance between the earthly and the divine. These concepts influenced Inca rituals, such as offerings to deities and ceremonies honouring ancestors, emphasizing the importance of maintaining harmony and equilibrium in all aspects of life. Duality and reciprocity served as guiding principles that shaped the fabric of Inca society. These ceremonies were intricately woven into the fabric of Inca governance, serving to reinforce the divine mandate and rulership and the obligation of loyalty and tribute from subjects. Ritual ceremonies functioned as mechanisms for cultural continuity and identity formation, binding together diverse communities under a shared religious framework.
The belief system of the Incas was polytheistic. Inca perceived the cosmos as a sacred order governed by the harmonious interplay of the sun, moon, and stars. Gender ideologies were constructed within this cosmic framework, shedding light on the intersection of spiritual beliefs, social hierarchies, and gender roles in Inca society. Viracocha, the creator of the universe and Inti, the Sun God, were the most important gods. Viracocha was believed to have created humanity on an island in the middle of Lake Titicaca. Inti was devoutly loved so much that the Inca people called themselves "Intip Churin" which in Quechua means "the children of the sun." The Inca took part in spiritual human sacrifices known as the Capacocha. Capacocha ceremonies occurred as methods of demarcating boundaries at the periphery of the expanding empire. The Inca developed a site of local gratitude administered across the empire by encircling these sacred sites within an Inca quarter and holding rituals there. These offerings were carried out on large mountains where ceremonial sites were constructed and were believed to have been made for numerous events such as important festivals, natural phenomenon and efforts to please the mountain deities. These sacrifices were taken out onto mountains throughout the Andes and placed alive into burial tombs where they were left with items such as: figurines, coca leaves, food, alcoholic beverages and pottery. Mountains were the primary revered by numerous ethnic groups during the Spanish conquest era, with many considering them as the most significant. Remains of panpipes in the Inca style point to the fact that Inca practices were held on the peak that overlooked the location. The Inca emphasized various natural elements of the surroundings, such as the stream running down the channel, the outcrops of rock, and the highest point of the mountain at Cahuana. The Vilca camayos were the overseers of the offerings, in which they had a decision on where the sacrifices were made and the number of sacrifices made on each mountain. Mountain deities were worshiped because it was believed that they controlled things like rainfall, water flow and, therefore, the abundance and fertility of crops. The preservation of local religion was conditional upon its alignment with an administrative context that validated religion. In March, black llamas were offered as sacrifices in ceremonies overseen by the Inca, with the assistance of priest. The attire of priests and participants was richly adorned with intricate designs and vibrant colours, serving both practical and symbolic purposes. Before significant ceremonies, fasting was customary, with priests required to refrain from consuming salt, pepper, meat, fish, spicy foods, and engaging in any form of sexual activity.
The Inca practiced cranial deformation. They achieved this by wrapping tight cloth straps around the heads of new-borns to alter the shape of their still-soft skulls. These deformations did not result in brain damage. Researchers at the Field Museum believe that the practice was used to mark different ethnicities across the Inca Empire.
The Inca preserved bodies through mummification. Mallquis were mummified bodies of deceased Inca rulers and nobles, preserved and venerated as ancestral spirits. Mallquis contributed to the Inca worldview, shaping their beliefs about ancestry, the afterlife, and the continuity of power across generations. Andean mummy bundles were meticulously arranged, taking into account not just the positioning of the body but also the material artifacts accompanying the ancestor in death. The arrangement of the body, manipulation of its posture, and the inclusion of surrounding funerary items all played a role in enhancing the body’s symbolic importance, aligning this research with art historic inquiries. Bodies were wrapped in the fetal position in cloth or leather. Rank determined how the Incas were buried. Common people were placed in an open cave or chullpa for possible visiting. Emperors' organs were removed and placed in jars separate from their bodies. After preparation, they were placed where they most occupied in life.
I hope I'm not overdoing drawing these informations from the internet, to talk of my heritage.
From 1438 to 1533, the Incas incorporated a large portion of western South America, centred on the Andean Mountains, using conquest and peaceful assimilation, among other methods. At its largest, the empire joined modern-day Peru, what are now western Ecuador, western and south central Bolivia, northwest Argentina, the south-westernmost tip of Colombia and a large portion of modern-day Chile into a state comparable to the historical empires of Eurasia. Its official language was Quechua.
The Inca Empire was unique in that it lacked many of the features associated with civilization in the Old World. Anthropologist Gordon McEwan wrote that the Incas were able to construct "one of the greatest imperial states in human history" without the use of the wheel, draft animals, knowledge of iron or steel, or even a system of writing. Notable features of the Inca Empire included its monumental architecture, especially stonework, extensive road network (Qhapaq Ñan) reaching all corners of the empire, finely-woven textiles, use of knotted strings (quipu or khipu) for record keeping and communication, agricultural innovations and production in a difficult environment, and the organization and management fostered or imposed on its people and their labour.
The Inca Empire functioned largely without money and without markets. Instead, exchange of goods and services was based on reciprocity between individuals and among individuals, groups, and Inca rulers. "Taxes" consisted of a labour obligation of a person to the Empire. The Inca rulers (who theoretically owned all the means of production) reciprocated by granting access to land and goods and providing food and drink in celebratory feasts for their subjects.
Many local forms of worship persisted in the empire, most of them concerning local sacred huacas or wak’a, but the Inca leadership encouraged the sun worship of Inti—their sun god—and imposed its sovereignty above other religious groups, such as that of Pachamama. The Incas considered their king, the Sapa Inca, to be the "son of the Sun".
The Inca economy, especially in the past, was often the subject of scholarly debate. Darrell E. La Lone, in his work The Inca as a Nonmarket Economy, noted that scholars have previously described it as "feudal, slave, [or] socialist," as well as "a system based on reciprocity and redistribution; a system with markets and commerce; or an Asiatic mode of production."
Duality manifested in the Inca society’s organization, with reciprocal relationships between rulers and subjects forming the bedrock of political legitimacy. Duality and reciprocity extends to the spiritual realm, reflecting the Inca worldviews balance between the earthly and the divine. These concepts influenced Inca rituals, such as offerings to deities and ceremonies honouring ancestors, emphasizing the importance of maintaining harmony and equilibrium in all aspects of life. Duality and reciprocity served as guiding principles that shaped the fabric of Inca society. These ceremonies were intricately woven into the fabric of Inca governance, serving to reinforce the divine mandate and rulership and the obligation of loyalty and tribute from subjects. Ritual ceremonies functioned as mechanisms for cultural continuity and identity formation, binding together diverse communities under a shared religious framework.
The belief system of the Incas was polytheistic. Inca perceived the cosmos as a sacred order governed by the harmonious interplay of the sun, moon, and stars. Gender ideologies were constructed within this cosmic framework, shedding light on the intersection of spiritual beliefs, social hierarchies, and gender roles in Inca society. Viracocha, the creator of the universe and Inti, the Sun God, were the most important gods. Viracocha was believed to have created humanity on an island in the middle of Lake Titicaca. Inti was devoutly loved so much that the Inca people called themselves "Intip Churin" which in Quechua means "the children of the sun." The Inca took part in spiritual human sacrifices known as the Capacocha. Capacocha ceremonies occurred as methods of demarcating boundaries at the periphery of the expanding empire. The Inca developed a site of local gratitude administered across the empire by encircling these sacred sites within an Inca quarter and holding rituals there. These offerings were carried out on large mountains where ceremonial sites were constructed and were believed to have been made for numerous events such as important festivals, natural phenomenon and efforts to please the mountain deities. These sacrifices were taken out onto mountains throughout the Andes and placed alive into burial tombs where they were left with items such as: figurines, coca leaves, food, alcoholic beverages and pottery. Mountains were the primary revered by numerous ethnic groups during the Spanish conquest era, with many considering them as the most significant. Remains of panpipes in the Inca style point to the fact that Inca practices were held on the peak that overlooked the location. The Inca emphasized various natural elements of the surroundings, such as the stream running down the channel, the outcrops of rock, and the highest point of the mountain at Cahuana. The Vilca camayos were the overseers of the offerings, in which they had a decision on where the sacrifices were made and the number of sacrifices made on each mountain. Mountain deities were worshiped because it was believed that they controlled things like rainfall, water flow and, therefore, the abundance and fertility of crops. The preservation of local religion was conditional upon its alignment with an administrative context that validated religion. In March, black llamas were offered as sacrifices in ceremonies overseen by the Inca, with the assistance of priest. The attire of priests and participants was richly adorned with intricate designs and vibrant colours, serving both practical and symbolic purposes. Before significant ceremonies, fasting was customary, with priests required to refrain from consuming salt, pepper, meat, fish, spicy foods, and engaging in any form of sexual activity.
The Inca practiced cranial deformation. They achieved this by wrapping tight cloth straps around the heads of new-borns to alter the shape of their still-soft skulls. These deformations did not result in brain damage. Researchers at the Field Museum believe that the practice was used to mark different ethnicities across the Inca Empire.
The Inca preserved bodies through mummification. Mallquis were mummified bodies of deceased Inca rulers and nobles, preserved and venerated as ancestral spirits. Mallquis contributed to the Inca worldview, shaping their beliefs about ancestry, the afterlife, and the continuity of power across generations. Andean mummy bundles were meticulously arranged, taking into account not just the positioning of the body but also the material artifacts accompanying the ancestor in death. The arrangement of the body, manipulation of its posture, and the inclusion of surrounding funerary items all played a role in enhancing the body’s symbolic importance, aligning this research with art historic inquiries. Bodies were wrapped in the fetal position in cloth or leather. Rank determined how the Incas were buried. Common people were placed in an open cave or chullpa for possible visiting. Emperors' organs were removed and placed in jars separate from their bodies. After preparation, they were placed where they most occupied in life.
I hope I'm not overdoing drawing these informations from the internet, to talk of my heritage.
26-30, F