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The Peruvian/Incan Calender
The standard chronology known to the Peru of the Incas was a simple lunar reckoning. But the four principal points in the sun's course were denoted by means of the intihuatana, a device consisting of a large rock surmounted by a small cone, the shadow of which, falling on certain notches on the stone below, marked the date of the great sun-festivals. The Peruvians, however, had no definite calendar. At Cuzco, the capital, the solstices were gauged by pillars called pachacta unanchac, or indicators-of time, which were placed in four groups (two pillars to a group) on promontories, two in the direction of sunrise and two in that of sunset, to mark the extreme points of the sun's rising and setting. By this means they were enabled to distinguish the arrival and departure of the solstices, during which the sun never went beyond the middle pair of pillars. The Inca astronomer's approximation to the year was 360 days, which were divided into twelve moons of thirty days each. These moons were not calendar months in the correct sense, but simply a succession of lunations, which commenced with the winter solstice. This method, which must ultimately have proved confusing, does not seem to have been altered to co-ordinate with the reckoning of the succession of years. The names of the twelve moons, which had some reference to the daily life of the Peruvian, were as follows: |






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Incan Mythology
The Inca civilization flourished in the Andes mountains of South America during the 1400s and early 1500s, and was based in the city of Cuzco, in what is now Peru. At the centre of Inca religion and mythology was the worship of the sun, believed to be the ancestral father of the Inca people. For this reason, sun worship was closely linked to ancestor worship, and many of the myths of the Incas focus on their origins. The Incas tailored their mythology to glorify their own culture and to reinforce the idea that they were a superior people destined to rule others. Manco Capac was the legendary founder of the Inca Dynasty in Peru and the Cuzco Dynasty at Cuzco. The legends and history surrounding this mythical figure are varied, especially those concerning his rule at Cuzco and his birth/rising. In one legend, he was the son of Tici Viracocha. In another, he was brought up from the depths of Lake Titicaca by the sun god Inti. Commoners were not allowed to speak the name of Inca Viracocha, which is possibly an explanation for the need for three foundation legends rather than just the first. There were also several myths about Manco Capac and his coming to power. In one myth, Manco Capac and his brother Pachacamac were sons of the sun god Inti. Manco Capac, himself, was worshiped as a fire and sun god. According to this Inti legend, Manco Capac and his siblings were sent up to the earth by the sun god and emerged from the cave of Pacaritambo carrying a golden staff called tapac-yauri. They were instructed to create a Temple of the Sun in the spot where the staff sank into the earth to honour the sun god Inti, their father. To get to Cuzco, where they built the temple, they travelled via underground caves. During the journey, one of Manco’s brothers, and possibly a sister, were turned to stone (huaca). In another version of this legend, instead of emerging from a cave in Cuzco, the siblings emerged from the waters of Lake Titicaca. In the Inca Virachocha legend, Manco Capac was the son of Inca Viracocha of Pacari-Tampu, today known as Pacaritambo which is 25 km south of Cuzco. He and his brothers (Ayar Anca, Ayar Cachi, and Ayar Uchu) and sisters (Mama Ocllo, Mama Huaco, Mama Raua, and Mama Cura) lived near Cuzco at Paccari-Tampu, and uniting their people and the ten avllu they encountered in their travels to conquer the tribes of the Cuzco Valley. This legend also incorporates the golden staff, which is thought to have been given to Manco Capac by his father. Accounts vary, but according to some versions of the legend, the young Manco jealously betrayed his older brothers, killed them, and then became the sole ruler of Cuzco. |
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Colouring In
Please feel free to use these colouring in sheets. Click on the link to go to a full page version. |
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Other Interesting Things |
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Incan Deities |
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Online Jigsaw Puzzles
Click on the picture to go. And enjoy!
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Apo or Apu was a god of mountains. |
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Apocatequil (Apotequil) was the god of lightning. |
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Ataguchu was a god who assisted in creation. |
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Catequil was a god of thunder and lightning. |
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Cavillace was a virgin goddess who ate a fruit, which was actually the sperm of Coniraya, the moon god. 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. |
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Chasca was the goddess of dawn and twilight, and Venus. She protected virgin girls. |
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Chasca Coyllur was the goddess of flowers and young maidens. |
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Mama Coca (Cocomama) was a goddess of health and joy. She was originally a promiscuous woman who was cut in half by her many lovers. Her body grew into the first coca plant, the leaves of which men were allowed to chew to bring health and happiness. |
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Coniraya was the deity of the moon who fashioned his sperm into a fruit, which Cavillaca then ate. 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 rock huacas. |
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Copacati was a lake goddess. |
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Ekkeko 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 as they believed they would then receive what it was that they desired. |
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Illapa (Apu Illapu, Ilyap'a, Katoylla) was a very popular weather god, whose name means thunder and lightening. He was said to keep the Milky Way in a jug and use it to create rain. He appeared as a man in shining clothes, carrying a club and stones. He was formerly the main god of the Kingdom of Colla after which the Collasuyu province of the Inca empire was named. |
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Inti was the sun god, the source of warmth and light and a protector of the people. Inti was considered the most important god and the Inca Emperors were believed to be his lineal descendants. |
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Kon was the god of rain and wind that came from the south. He was a son of Inti and Mama Quilla. |
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Mama Allpa was a fertility goddess depicted with multiple breasts. |
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Mama Cocha (sea mother) was the sea and fish goddess, protectress of sailors and fishermen. In one legend she was the mother of Inti and Mama Quilla, with Viracocha being their father. |
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Mama Pacha (Pachamama) was the wife of Pachacamac and a dragoness fertility deity who presided over planting and harvesting. She caused earthquakes. |
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Mama Quilla (mother moon or golden mother) was a marriage, festival and moon goddess and daughter of Viracocha and Mama Cocha She was also the wife and sister of Inti. She was the mother of Manco Capac, Pachacamac, Kon and Mama Ocllo. |
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Mama Zara (grain mother, Zaramama) 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 Zara. She was also associated with willow trees. |
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Pacha Camac (Earth-maker) was a chthonic creator god, earlier worshiped by the Ichma but later adopted into the creation myth of the Inca. |
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Pariacaca was a god of water in pre-Inca mythology that was adopted by the Inca. He was a god of rainstorms and a creator-god. He was born a falcon but later became human. |
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Paricia was a god who sent a flood to kill humans who did not respect him adequately. Possibly another name for Pachacamac. |
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Supay was both the god of death and ruler of the Uca Pacha as well as a race of demons. |
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Urcaguary was the god of metals, jewels and other underground items of great value. |
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Viracocha was the god of everything. |
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Huchuy Pucuy Quilla (Small Growing Moon), approximately January. |
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Hatun Pucuy Quilla (Great Growing Moon), approximately February. |
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Pancar Pucuy Quilla (Flower-growing Moon), approximately March. |
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Ayrihua Quilla (Twin Ears Moon), approximately April. |
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Aymuray Quilla (Harvest Moon), approximately May. |
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Auray Cusqui Quilla (Breaking Soil), approximately June. |
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Chahua Huarqui Quilia (Irrigation Moon), approximately July. |
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Tarpuy Quilla (Sowing Moon), approximately August. |
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Ccoya Raymi Quilla (Moon of the Moon Feast), approximately September. |
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Uma Raymi Quilla (Moon of the Feast of the Province of Uma), approximately October. |
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Ayamarca Raymi Quilla (Moon of the Feast of the Province of Ayamarca), approximately November. |
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Ccapac Raymi Quilla (Moon of the Great Feast of the Sun), approximately December. |
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Mama Ocllo was the sister and wife of Manco Capac. She was thought to have taught the Inca the art of spinning. |
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Mamaconas were similar to nuns and lived in temple sanctuaries. They dedicated their lives to Inti, lived a life of chastity, and served the Inca and priests. Young girls of the nobility or of exceptional beauty were trained for four years as acllas and then had the option of becoming mamaconas or marrying Inca nobles. They are comparable to the Roman Vestal Virgins. |
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Ono pacakoti was a legendary flood sent by Virachocha to destroy the giants that built Tiwanaku. |
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A Huaca was a sacred object such as a mountain or a mummy. |
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Uca Pacha ("the lower world") was the underworld (similar to Hell or Hades), located in the centre of Earth. |
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Hanan Pacha ("higher world") was the Heavenly underworld. Only righteous people could enter it (much like Heaven), crossing a bridge made of hair. |
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Chakana (or Inca Cross, Chakana) is the three-stepped cross representing the southern cross and symbolising the three tiers of Inca life. The lower world, this world, and the higher world. These three levels also represented by the snake, puma, and condor, respectively. |