Inca mythology

Pre-Inca Andean beliefs

Basic beliefs

Worldview

• Hawa Pacha: the outside world.
• Hanan Pacha: the world above, celestial and supraterrestrial.
• Hakaq Pacha or Haqay Pacha:.
• Kay Pacha: the world of here and now.
• Hurin Pacha: the world below, the underworld.
• Uku Pacha: the world within.

Inca foundation legends

Deities

• Apu was a god or spirit of mountains. All of the important mountains have their own Apu, and some of them receive sacrifices to bring out certain aspects of their being. Some rocks and caves also are credited as having their own apu.
• Amaru was a serpentine, chimerical or draconic deity associated with wisdom, water, earth, and the underworld. It represented both destructive and benevolent aspects of nature, associated with both earthquakes and the irrigating rivers upon which the Aymara people depended for their harvest.
• Ataguchu was a god who assisted in creation myth. The legend says Ataguchu, tired due to the Cosmos loneliness, created some divine beings to be his servants. At the same time, he created Guamansuri and sent him to earth. The province was inhabited by an ethnic group called Guachemines. Guamansuri, as a foreigner, was at service of the group. Guachemines leaders had a sister called Cautaguan, due to her beautifulness, she was confined. However, one day Guamansuri seduced and got Cautaguan pregnant. When the leaders realized their sister was pregnant, they instantly knew Guamansuri was the culprit, so they captured and burned Guamansuri and scattered his ashes. Guamansuri's ashes went up to the sky and stayed there with Ataguchu. The leaders put Cautaguan under strict surveillance and, in a few days, she gave birth to two eggs, and died in childbirth. They took the eggs and put them in a dunghill where two screaming children came out of them. A servant took care of the children, who were named Catequil and Piguerao. Catequil went to where his mother had died and brought her back to life. She gave him the slings that Guamansuri had left for him, so that he could kill the Guachemines. Catequil killed many Guachemines and expelled from the country those he did not kill. So he went to heaven and informed Ataguchu that the land was already free of the Guachemines and asked him to create the people to inhabit and work it. Ataguchu told him to go to the hill and to the high pasture lands called Guacat, upstream from the actual city of La Parilla de Santa. Once there, both brothers pulled the Indians out of the land using gold and silver tools.
• Auquis were deities that watched over each populated region.
• Axomamma was a goddess of potatoes.
• Catequil was the tutelar god of day and good. He's also the god of thunder and lightning in northern Peruvian highlands. Catequil and his twin brother Piguerao were born from hatched eggs. It's believed that Catequil was another name or representation of god Illapa.
• Cavillace was a virgin goddess who ate a fruit, which was actually the sperm of Coniraya, the moon god and mother of the Coya, who raised the ñusta of the empire. When she gave birth to a son, she demanded that the father step forward. No one did, so she put the baby on the ground and it crawled towards Coniraya. She was ashamed because of Coniraya's low stature among the gods, and ran to the coast of Peru, where she changed herself and her son into rocks.
• Ch'aska was the goddess of dawn, the twilight and dusk, as well as the goddess of beauty, virgin women and the flowers. She was considered as the "Venus star" due to her similarities shared with the Roman goddess Venus as well as her luminosity equated to the homologous planet, which is, after the Sun and the Moon, the brightest celestial object in the night sky.
• Chaupiñamca is a divinity considered the feminine counterpart of the god Paryaqaqa. Like the latter, Chaupiñamca had five sisters, she being the eldest of all. She's represented as a rigid stone with five wings.
• Chuychu is the beautiful rainbow that was below both great gods and that was later elevated to the god of the nobles because it represented the beauty that was reserved for the nobles.
• Coniraya was the moon deity who fashioned his sperm into a fruit, which Cavillaca then ate.
• Conopa is a small, particularly shaped object worshiped at the domestic level in communities in the Andes of Peru.
• Copacati was a lake goddess.
• Coquena, sometimes called Pachamama's husband, is the protector deity of llama, vicuña, and other camelids among the Diaguita-Calchaquí.
• Ekeko was a god of the hearth and wealth. The ancients made dolls that represented him and placed a miniature version of their desires onto the doll; this was believed to cause the user to receive what they desired.
• Huallallo Carhuincho was the god of fire and the main god of the wankas, depicted as a human with dog traits, with an evil profile and a devourer of children. Exiled to the jungles by Viracocha, he lives in solitude eating animals, although he also feeds on human flesh. One day, he met a boy and planned to eat him. Then the boy revealed himself as Inti, the Sun god. Huallallo Carhuincho was then punished by Viracocha and sent to an island, tied hand and foot, and at the mercy of birds and other animals that bite him for eternity.
• Huamancantac was the god of guano. Due to this, he's also known as the "Lord of guano". He's represented as an idol and was associated with guano birds. Coastal people made a lot of offerings to him with the purpose of extracting some of guano for agricultural and fishing issues.
• Huari was the main god of Chavín culture. To them, Huari was the god of war and was also associated with water, the rain, the lightning and agriculture. Huari can turn into a puma or the proper lightning. It's believed that he had the main center of it in the alley of Conchucos, the same place where Chavín de Huántar was erected. The Huari ethnic and possibly also the Wari culture would continue the worship of this god under the same name, but with proper characteristics. To them, Huari was the giant god of war and was associated with the sun, the water and agriculture. In addition to his giant aspect, Huari also can turn into a man, a snake and wind. Later, the Incas would adopt him into their pantheon as well.
• Huaytapallana was a god that had an important role during dry seasons. In other legends, Huaytapallana was a woman with a captivating beauty. She was the daughter of the god Huallallo Carhuincho. Huaytapallana fell in love with Amaru, the son of Paryaqaqa. Paryaqaqa and Huallallo had a mutual enmity even before this event, enmity that led to Huallallo killing Amaru. Paryaqaqa saddened by the loss of his son, sent a powerful flood that drowned Huaytapallana. After that, both gods had a fierce battle that destroyed everything in their path. Paryaqaqa won the battle. Angered, Huallallo turned into a devourer of humans, blaming them for his disgrace. Viracocha saw these atrocities, and punished Paryaqaqa and Huallallo for their cruelties by turning both gods into snowy mountains.
• Hurkaway was a guardian snake that lurks around in Uku Pacha. It's believed that this creature is actually Urcaguary, the Inca deity of metals and treasures.
• Illapa was the god of thunder, lightning, rain, and war. In a general way, Illapa was the lord of the weather. Despite the fact that the main faculty of the deity was lightning and its other elements, Illapa had the absolute control of weather. Due to his faculty as weather god, Illapa was highly revered, especially in times of pilgrimage and drought. Illapa, as the god of war, played an essential role in war contexts. Illapa was the protective numen of the Inca military campaigns. These were quite frequent during the expansion of the Tahuantinsuyo. As a result of his aforementioned powers, Illapa was considered the third most important god within the Inca pantheon, only surpassed by Wiracocha and Inti. He is represented as an imposing man in brilliant garments of gold and precious stones who lived in the upper world. Likewise, Illapa carried a warak'a with which he produced storms and a golden makana, which symbolizes his power and the trinity of lightning bolt, thunder and lightning. According to the chronicler Bernabé Cobo, another representation that the Incas gave to Illapa was that of a warrior formed by stars in the celestial world. His rites took place in the highest mountains, because they believed that Illapa lived in them. His rites consisted of dances, chants, festivals and animal sacrifices. Illapa manifested himself in the earthly world in the form of a puma or hawk. There is a legend that said that Illapa kept water that he drew from the Milky Way in an urpu and gave it to his sister, Mama Quilla, to take care of her. When said urpu was filled, Illapa would throw a projectile from his huaraca to the urpu producing a roar that would cause thunder, the lightning would come to be the sparks produced by the impact and finally the water would come out as rain. It is said that the Incas, to attract the attention of the god so that he would produce rain, tied up black dogs and left them without food or drink. A time would pass in which these animals would begin to sob in pain from hunger and thirst. This made the god Illapa take pity on them and send rain to prevent their deaths. It is also mentioned that if the dogs were to die, this deity demonstrated his wrath by sending a powerful lightning bolt that would strike down without leaving a trace of those responsible for the death of said animals. Illapa took place in the Coricancha as well as the god Inti and other additional gods. The church of San Blas was built on a temple where this god was worshiped. It is believed that Sacsayhuamán would have been used both as a military fortress and as a ceremonial temple, dedicated to various divinities, among which Illapa stood out. According to the chronicler Cristóbal de Molina, Illapa had its own temple, which was known as Pucamarca.
• Inti was the sun god. He was a source of warmth and light and a protector of the people. Inti was considered the most important god. The Inca Emperors were believed to be the lineal descendants of the sun god.
• Ka-ata-killa was a pre-inca moon goddess that was worshiped near Lake Titicaca.
• Kolash was the god of birds and their trills. Kolash was born as a bird and later became a human, similar to god Paryaqaqa. Kolash represents the absolute whole; that is, he is the explanation for the being of all things. His body is massive, with broad arms that support the entire universe. Another characteristic of Kolash is his thick, trapezoidal back. Furthermore, Kolash is said to have a large nose, whose size is a symbol of virility and is also attributed with healing properties.
• Kon was the god of rain and wind that came from the south. He was a son of Inti and Mama Killa. Kon was known as "the boneless god" because he was light since he lacked bones and meat. Despite this, he had a human form. Kon was also represented as a being with a felinic face, although it's believed that he wore feline masks. Due to these characteristics, this god is known as "the flying feline." He carried trophy heads and a staff. In some huacos he's also depicted as a man with bird traits or a feline with prominent eyes, and due to his prominent eyes, he is also known as "the eyed god." Kon can also transform into a sandstorm to move across the vast Peruvian coastal deserts. Kon created the first generation of humans, until his defeat and exile by Pachakamaq.
• Mallko was known as the first son of the sun god in Vichama's myth. This established Mallko as the brother of Vichama and half-brother of Pachakamaq and Kon. When Pachacámac tore his body to pieces to create food, from the remains of Mallko's navel and umbilical cord, the sun god created another new child. This new child would be known as Vichama. In other representations, Mallko was the Inca god of law.
• Mallku was a deity that represents the spirit and strength of the mountains. It takes the form of a powerful Condor.
• Mama Allpa was a fertility goddess depicted with multiple breasts.
• Mama Koka was the goddess of health and happiness in Inca mythology. She was originally a promiscuous woman who was torn in half by several jealous lovers. After her death, one of her parts would originate the coca plant, widely consumed by the Andean people, according to their mentality, these plants gave health and happiness.
• Mama Nina was the goddess of light, the fire and volcanoes.
• Mama Quinoa was the goddess of quinoa grain. Incas worshiped her fervently at the beginning of each planting season. The quinoa grain, or quinoa, was one of their main crops, and for 6,000 years it has been the staple food of the inhabitants of the Andes.
• Mama Qucha was the sea and fish goddess, protector of sailors and fishermen. In one legend she mothered Inti and Mama Killa with Wiraqucha. Mama Qucha is considered one of the four elemental mothers, including Mama Nina, Pachamama and Mama Wayra. Having as a curious fact that she, together with Pachamama and Mama Killa, form the three phases of the Moon.

• Mama Pacha was considered a sacred being by the andean cosmovision. She was the mother of the hills and men since she not only cared for the material but also for the spiritual. Protector of nature, provider of water and food, favoring the fertility of the earth and sheltering human beings in exchange for help and protection, the Incas had the greatest veneration towards her. Her cult was important because the success of the empire's harvests depended on it. Although she is considered a kind spirit, she can also be hostile to those who do not respect nature; she shows her anger through droughts, earthquakes, or making the weather unsuitable for the growth of food. She was the wife of Pachakamaq, who was considered the god of the sky and the clouds, although in other legends, Pachakamaq was the god of fire or earthquakes. The union of the Pachamama with Pachakamaq would come to represent the union of the earth and sky, from this union, Inti and Mama Killa would be born and both were known as "The Willkas," which means "the sacred ones." She is represented as an adult woman who carries potatoes and coca leaves. Other representations show her as a dragon and she is symbolized with a spiral.
• Mama Rayhuana was the goddess of flora and fauna, a source of energy and fertility, under whose protection were vast cultivated territories of potatoes, corn, ollucos, mashua and quinoa.
• Mama Killa was a marriage, festival and moon goddess and daughter of Wiraqucha and Mama Qucha, as well as wife and sister of Inti. In one legend, she was the mother of Manqu Qhapaq, Pacha Kamaq, Kon and Mama Uqllu.
• Mama Sara was the goddess of grain. She was associated with maize that grew in multiples or were similarly strange. These strange plants were sometimes dressed as dolls of Mama Sara. She was also associated with willow trees. She had several subjects:
• * Kuka Manka was a constellation that took care of magical herbs.
• * Sara Manka was a constellation that took care of plant foods.
• Mama Wayra was the goddess of air and winds, protectress of the birds. She was considered as a purifying goddess.
• Manañamca was a malevolent femenine deity, partner of the god Huallallo Carhuincho. Like the latter, she faced the god Paryaqaqa but he defeated her and threw her into the sea.
• Pacha Kamaq was a chthonic creator god, reissue of god Viracocha and also a god associated with the fire, the sky, the clouds and the earthquakes. It's said the ancient Peruvians thought that a single movement of his head would cause massive cataclysms, and if he'd move completely, the world would come to its end, since Pachakamaq was a god associated with being able to predict the future and control the movements of the earth. Due to this, Pachakamaq is also known as the "god of the earthquakes." Far from being the one who protects people from telluric movements, he was the one who provoked them and who had to be pleased and offered so that he would not send said scourge. Pachakamaq was represented on a long wooden idol. The bottom part of the idol shows zoomorphic, ornitomorphic and anthropomorphic designs along with crops, plants, and atmospheric phenomena. It's believed that part represents the earth's creation by Pachakamaq. The upper part of the idol shows Pachakamaq with two faces of aggressive expression, representing a symbol of the duality of pre-hispanic andean thought. He was considered as the creator god of the second generation of humans, after a fierce and long battle between Pachakamaq and the god Kon, a battle in which Kon would end up being defeated and banished by the victorious Pachakamaq. Pachakamaq was worshiped earlier by the Ichma and was highly respected, because no one could look him directly in the eye. Even his priests entered backwards to see him. Due to his powerful influence, the Incas adopted him into their pantheon as part of the Inca creation myth. Only high dignitaries entered the great temples, but ordinary pilgrims could observe and make their own sacrifices in the plazas.
• Paryaqaqa was the god of water in pre-inca mythology, coming from an ethnic group called Yauyos and later adopted by the Huanca culture when the Huancas were defeated by the Yauyos. When the Incas defeated both ethnic groups, Paryaqaqa was later adopted by them into their pantheon as well. He was a storm god and considered as a creator god. He was born as a falcon like his five brothers in Condorcoto mountain, to later become a Kolash. One legend says this god left his divine life in the sky when he saw a humble man crying. Paryaqaqa, dismayed, asked him why he was crying. The man told the god that Huallallo Carhuincho threatened the man's people that if they didn't give him enough human sacrifices, Huallallo Carhuincho would burn the whole village. Paryaqaqa decided to fight Huallallo Carhuincho. When the battle was over, Paryaqaqa was victorious, and the village was free from the tyranny of Huallallo. The people of the village worshiped Paryaqaqa fervently as a sign of gratefulness. It's believed Paryaqaqa, along with Catequil, were different representations of god Illapa due to the three gods share strong similarities like the absolute control of weather and they present warrior and dominant facets in their respective legends.
• Paricia was a god who sent a flood to kill humans who did not respect him adequately. Possibly another name for Paryaqaqa.
• Piguerao was the tutelar god of night and evil.
• Paqtawañuy It was a deity personifying death. In Cusco, there was a sanctuary dedicated to this deity. Sacrifices were made to it to avoid or be freed from sudden death.
• Puñuy was a divinity personifying with dreams and the act of sleeping. There was a sanctuary dedicated to this deity in Cusco. In it, rituals were executed with the purpose of obtaining a good sleep and not dying while sleeping.
• Qhaxra-kamayuq was a guardian deity who made an effort to prevent thieves from entering houses.
• Qhoa was a big feline deity that lives in sky and was able to bring the rain, the storms, the rainbow and hail. Qhoa was depicted as a large winged flying feline. As a deity considered to be the bringer of rain and storms that help the growth of crops and fertilization of the earth, Incas worshiped it fervently. The Qhoa was a benevolent deity to whom they asked for rain, and it was granted. But like all sacred beings, Qhoa also launched its punishments through hail or storms. It's believed this deity jumped from cloud to cloud, dropping lightning bolts that come out of its eyes to the earth, its loud roar was the thunder, its urine was the rain and the flapping of its large wings would be hail. In some andean communities they still say that Qhoa plays in the heights, entering and leaving the lagoons.
• Qoyllur was the goddess of the stars. Qoyllur also had an important position as a deity of light. She was the companion of Mama Killa. They were always together, since without Qoyllur's company, the nights would not have the same luminosity. The stars were a perfect complement.
• Rímac and Chaclla were two brother gods who sacrificed themselves to end a drought that plagued the coast in ancient times. Rímac became a river and Chaclla became the rain.
• Runacoto was a divinity associated with masculine virility. Due to this, people with a short penis went to ask him for help to grow their penises.
• Sorimana was a pre-inca god of volcanoes and earthquakes. Solimana also shares the name of a volcano located in Arequipa, Peru.
• Supay was both the god of death and ruler of the Uku Pacha as well as a race of demons. Supay was also the personification of all evilness. However, he was considered an ambivalent god that could be considered both evil and good. Supay was represented as a human figure with a strong resemblance to demons, having long horns and ears, a felinic head, very perceptive eyes and sharp teeth. Supay also has the ability to turn into a beautiful Inca woman as well as a very attractive Inca man. These abilities turned him into a danger for those who did not show respect or who tried to make fun of him. Despite this, there were people who believed in his great power, thus reaching the point of worshiping him, so that he would grant them favors for evil or good through rituals, offerings and the creation of altars. The ancient legends told that Supay went beyond that evil that he evoked, since they described him as the protector of the path that will be traveled when dying. Likewise, the Incas believed that after dying, the soul passes into the background. This background for them meant a new beginning with the Inca gods. Despite the description of the Supay as an evil being, he was good at the end of days for those who awaited his death, which made the Incas believe that since ancient times, the god Supay was a being that equilibrated the balance between the good and evil. In addition to giving them the feeling that there will always be evil, but not enough.
• Temenduare and Arikute were brother gods who, with their clashes, caused a flood. This as a result of conjuring a bestial being provided with a hundred legs of water. Temenduare and Arikute are thought to be other names for the gods Vichama and Mallko.
• Tumayricapac and Tumayhanampa were pre-inca twin gods from a region called Chinchaycocha. These two are associated with the lightning and are considered as civilizing heroes as well.
• was the aymara god of volcanoes as well as lightning and water. According to Collasuyo's myths, Tunupa put order in the world and is often confused with Viracocha.
• Tulumanya was the first rainbow, who was born from the Amaru's chest on Viracocha's orders.
• Urcaguary was the inca deity of metals, jewels and other underground items of great value. The gender of this deity is ambiguous, so it can be a feminine or masculine divinity. Urcaguary lives beneath mountains protecting treasures and jewels from evil people who dare to steal them. Urcaguary was represented with a snake body and a taruka head, gold chains and precious stones were linked in its snake tail. It's believed that the taruka or deer head is due to its way of thinking.
• Urquchillay was the god of cattle and domestic animals. Urquchillay was worshipped mainly by Inca herders because he watched over animals and maintained the welfare of the herds and multiply their offspring. Urquchillay was represented as a strong man with a llama head as well as a multicoloured llama or ram.
• Urpihuachay was the creator goddess of the birds and fishes, coming originally from Chincha culture and later adopted by the Inca pantheon as wife of Pachakamaq in some legends. She's depicted as a woman with mixed fish and bird traits. In one legend, it's said after Cavillace and her son jumped into the sea and turned into two isles in front of the sanctuary of the god Pachakamaq, Coniraya decided to get revenge against Pachakamaq and sought Urpihuachay and her daughters with the attempt to rape them, the goddess wasn't there, she was visiting Cavillace already turned into an island, Coniraya took advantage and found the goddess daughters, fortunately, they could escape from the angered god by turning themselves into birds and flying far away. Coniraya still angered, threw all Urpihuachay's belongings to the sea, among them, the fishes only Urpihuachay knew how to raise, these were thrown in ponds near the temple, once in the sea, fishes multiplied since then and Urpihuachay was considered as the mother of all birds and fishes.
• Vichama was the son of the sun god in Vichama's myth. This established Vichama as the brother of Mallko and the half-brother of Pachakamaq and Kon. He was created by the sun god from the umbilical cord and navel of Mallko's, his brother, which were torn to pieces by Pachakamaq's wrath. In the aforementioned myth, Vichama was a divinity associated with revenge, death and, to a lesser extent, with war.
• Viracocha was the god of everything. It's said he came from the sea and created the sun, the moon and the stars to light up the world that was immersed in darkness. Viracocha also created time. Following the creation, he created the humanity by blowing on the stones. However, his first attempt to create humanity failed as they turned out to be strong and violent giants with no intelligence.. The giants didn't recognize Viracocha as their creator and they rebelled against him. Viracocha sent a devastating flood that destroyed them, and from the remaining small stones, he created a better version of humanity. Viracocha had a lot of representations around the civilizations and cultures that worshiped him, the most known is that of a sun crown man or anthropomorphic man with two staffs or lightning bolts in his hands on a platform. Viracocha's face had tears in the form of rain. It's said he wept when he saw the suffering of the creatures he had created. Viracocha was also associated with the puma. Another representation of him was a stone with egg's shape which is considered a cosmic egg. Viracocha was present as the creator of everything in existence in several ancient civilizations and cultures around South America like Sechin culture, Caral-Supe civilization, Chavín culture, Wari culture, Tiwanaku, etc. Incas weren't the exception, they considered Viracocha as the creator of all the cosmos as well as the substance that gives rise to all of things. In the beginning he was the main god, but when Pachakuti became Inca emperor, he changed this god's importance to prioritize Inti as the most important god due to Inti's support against the Chankas, which turned the Inca Kingdom of Cusco into a great and prosperous empire. Despite this fact, Viracocha was still worshiped fervently, but just the Sapa Incas or emperors were allowed to worship him, leaving Inti as the main god of the Inca people.
• Wasikamayuq was the tutelary god of home. Wasikamayuq was supported by other deities like Qhaxra-kamayuq, as they both ensured security in Inca homes.
• Yanañamca and Tutañamca were the twin gods of darkness and night. They ruled the world at the beginning of time, before the gods took care of the earth. Viracocha sent Huallallo Carhuincho, god of fire, to defeat them and, at the same time, illuminate the earth, although the latter stayed taking advantage of it and devouring his faithful ones.
• Yana Raman was the pre-inca god of lightning. He's considered as the main god and hence the creator of an ethnic group called Yaros or Llacuaces. Likewise, he's considered as the base of the cult of god Illapa. When the Incas assimilated Yaros within Tahuantinsuyo, the god Yana Raman was renewed as the god Illapa.
• Yastay or Llastay - Aymara protector of vicuña and other camelids as well as the condor.