Veneration of the dead was an integral part of the Andean civilization, and the huge "chullpas at Sillustani, Puno are proof of this mysterious veneration practiced by the pre-Inca and Inca period.
The department of Puno, is fundamentally a High Plateau (Altiplano) located in the South East corner of Peru. Its landscape surprises because of the vast Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable Lake in the World, and the snow-capped peaks flanking its Eastern side.
Puno city is located on the shores of the Lake Titicaca and only 126 km from the frontier with Bolivia, at 3,827m above sea level.
Puno has been to origin and craddle of very big pre-Inca civilizations and of the mythical legend of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo who emerged from the waters of the Lake Titicaca and went to Cuzco to found the capital of the Inca empire. The Collao Plateau and around Lake Titicaca were the sites in which the following pre-Inca civilizations were born: Pucara, Tiahuanco, Collas, and Lupacas.
Puno is also the melting pot of the 2 most important Andean languages, the Aymara from the South and the Quechua from the North. This incredible mixture has made Puno to gain the title of "Folkloric Capital of Peru." The title is lived up well with the huge number and variety of traditional festivities, dances, and music.
Sillustani, the site that hosts the famous soul houses (Chullpas), great circular towers built to store the funeral remains of the ancient inhabitants of Collao, is about 45 minutes drive, 34 km North of Puno city, on the shores of the Umayo Lagoon. The Lagoon is surrounded by areas of marshland and pasture, which flood on a seasonal basis, however, it loses most of its water through evaporation under the fierce sun and strong winds of the dry High Plateau (Altiplano). It has a maximum depth of 27 meters and connects to Lake Titicaca via Illpa River.
Many of the soul houses (Chullpas) at Sillustani show characteristics similar to the ones found throughout the entire South Central Andes. The insides of the houses were built to hold entire groups of people. Corps were not intentionally mummified, but in the dry environment created by the closed tomb, they survived for centuries. Most of the corps inside the houses indicate burial in a fetal position. The only openings that the soul houses have face East, where it was believed the Sun was reborn by Mother Earth each day.
The architecture of the site is remarkable complex compared with the typical Inca architecture, who used stones of varying shapes, the Colla only used even rectangular edges. Some soul houses are more than 12 meters high. At their bases they are smaller than the top parts. Superb construction techniques were applied in their internal false vault and lateral rock interlocking. Typical Inca materials combine perfectly with Colla elements. The ones known as Lagarto (Crocodile) and Inti-Watana are the most prominent.
Friday, December 29, 2017
Thursday, December 28, 2017
THE GOBLIN OF THE ANDES.
The goblin (Muki in Quechua language) lives in the subterranean caves located in the Andean mountains. They are the most lonely places in the physical world.
The goblin can be by himself or in groups, but they are known to prefer living on their own. They live in a timeless world of eternal darkness and they do not age, as if they were not affected by the pass of time.
The creature exercises a lot of power, it can make metal veins appear and disappear, sense the moods and emotions of the miners, help them through their burdens by making pacts with them to soften their work. The creature gravitates towards discreet and honest personalities, who fulfill their promises and do not share the details of their pacts and interaction made with them. Very often the goblin offers to do the person's duties in exchange for drugs, alcohol or the company of women, as that helps the creature to feel less lonely. They, little by little, the person is transformed into one of them when the overcommitment (addiction) to the pact blind them and show only an illusion of what they were expecting to receive. Their attacks inspire fear in their victims and adversaries.
They are known for stealing defenseless people unfamiliar with the spiritual law of existence that is applied in everything that have live. Elders advise that when dealing with the goblin, one should use his own belt to battle the creature without succumbing to fear. The belt, in the immaterial world, is the understanding of the law and in the material one it ties up the garment of each individual as a bound to serve life and the commitment to harmony that should be maintained between what is seen and what is not.
The goblin belief comes from very old Andean traditions about demons and small creatures who inhabit the "World below"(Uku Pacha). The ones who were the traditional mine crafters, being very aware about the Law of existence, needed to explain many of their extraordinary daily occurrences to their children in order to prepare them for life.
The creature is mentioned in the mythology of the Central Andes. Just like there is diversity in the mining sites, there are many varieties of goblins in the underground world of the Andes. The comparison gives a perceptive mirror of the immaterial world that is so real to the Andean people that reflects what is happening in the subconscious world of a human being.
Despite the distance and the isolation of the mining camps, the belief and the description of the creature is consistent throughout Peru, from the Southern highlands of Puno to Cajamarca in the North. The names differ and in Moquegua is known as chinchiliku, in Puno as anchanchu or janchanchu, in Cajamarca as jusshi, and in Cerro de Pasco and Andean regions of Bolivia as muki.
The oral tradition of each mine help to identify the goblins by region, thus a goblin can be from Huacra-Cocha, Goyllar, Moro-Cocha, The Diamond (El Diamante), Santender,The Temptation Mine (La Mina Tentadora), The Julcani Mine, Excelsior, etc.
The description of the goblin changes with time. Around the 1930s, the creature was described as a small elf with a green outfit, also it was said that the creature wandered the mines while holding a gas lantern and wearing a very fine vicuna cape (poncho, an outer garment that keep the body warm). The creature was also described as having two small shiny horns and to speak with a soft voice. The creature likes to whistle loudly, and that serves as a warning of danger to the miners of their liking. But the description changes as time pass by.
In today Andean mining world, the creature is considered to be a dwarf due to its hight, since it is no taller than 0.61m/2 ft, with a small brawny and disproportionate body. The creature's skin is very pale and it carries a mining lantern. The head is attached to body lacking a neck. Sometimes it is described as having pointy ears.
The creature's voice is deep and husky, not matching its appearance. Its long hair is bright blonde, the face is hairy and reddish with a long white beard. The creature's look is deep, aggressive, and hypnotic and the eyes reflect the light as if they were made of metal.
Sometimes it is also described as having two horns that are used to break the rocks and point at the mineral veins. The creature's walk is compared to a duck's walk because its feet are of abnormal size, and sometimes its legs can take the shape of a goose or crow's. Following the safety regulations of today mining work, the creature now wears a helmet, a miner's outfit and studded boots, or waterproof outfit proper of a miner.
The goblin can be by himself or in groups, but they are known to prefer living on their own. They live in a timeless world of eternal darkness and they do not age, as if they were not affected by the pass of time.
The creature exercises a lot of power, it can make metal veins appear and disappear, sense the moods and emotions of the miners, help them through their burdens by making pacts with them to soften their work. The creature gravitates towards discreet and honest personalities, who fulfill their promises and do not share the details of their pacts and interaction made with them. Very often the goblin offers to do the person's duties in exchange for drugs, alcohol or the company of women, as that helps the creature to feel less lonely. They, little by little, the person is transformed into one of them when the overcommitment (addiction) to the pact blind them and show only an illusion of what they were expecting to receive. Their attacks inspire fear in their victims and adversaries.
They are known for stealing defenseless people unfamiliar with the spiritual law of existence that is applied in everything that have live. Elders advise that when dealing with the goblin, one should use his own belt to battle the creature without succumbing to fear. The belt, in the immaterial world, is the understanding of the law and in the material one it ties up the garment of each individual as a bound to serve life and the commitment to harmony that should be maintained between what is seen and what is not.
The goblin belief comes from very old Andean traditions about demons and small creatures who inhabit the "World below"(Uku Pacha). The ones who were the traditional mine crafters, being very aware about the Law of existence, needed to explain many of their extraordinary daily occurrences to their children in order to prepare them for life.
The creature is mentioned in the mythology of the Central Andes. Just like there is diversity in the mining sites, there are many varieties of goblins in the underground world of the Andes. The comparison gives a perceptive mirror of the immaterial world that is so real to the Andean people that reflects what is happening in the subconscious world of a human being.
Despite the distance and the isolation of the mining camps, the belief and the description of the creature is consistent throughout Peru, from the Southern highlands of Puno to Cajamarca in the North. The names differ and in Moquegua is known as chinchiliku, in Puno as anchanchu or janchanchu, in Cajamarca as jusshi, and in Cerro de Pasco and Andean regions of Bolivia as muki.
The oral tradition of each mine help to identify the goblins by region, thus a goblin can be from Huacra-Cocha, Goyllar, Moro-Cocha, The Diamond (El Diamante), Santender,The Temptation Mine (La Mina Tentadora), The Julcani Mine, Excelsior, etc.
The description of the goblin changes with time. Around the 1930s, the creature was described as a small elf with a green outfit, also it was said that the creature wandered the mines while holding a gas lantern and wearing a very fine vicuna cape (poncho, an outer garment that keep the body warm). The creature was also described as having two small shiny horns and to speak with a soft voice. The creature likes to whistle loudly, and that serves as a warning of danger to the miners of their liking. But the description changes as time pass by.
In today Andean mining world, the creature is considered to be a dwarf due to its hight, since it is no taller than 0.61m/2 ft, with a small brawny and disproportionate body. The creature's skin is very pale and it carries a mining lantern. The head is attached to body lacking a neck. Sometimes it is described as having pointy ears.
The creature's voice is deep and husky, not matching its appearance. Its long hair is bright blonde, the face is hairy and reddish with a long white beard. The creature's look is deep, aggressive, and hypnotic and the eyes reflect the light as if they were made of metal.
Sometimes it is also described as having two horns that are used to break the rocks and point at the mineral veins. The creature's walk is compared to a duck's walk because its feet are of abnormal size, and sometimes its legs can take the shape of a goose or crow's. Following the safety regulations of today mining work, the creature now wears a helmet, a miner's outfit and studded boots, or waterproof outfit proper of a miner.
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
THE ANDEAN MARRIAGE.
In the Andes of Peru the cosmogony of the Incas associated with a wedding is highly mystical and sacred so it does all the ritual performed by an Andean Priest (Shaman) along with all the forces of nature.
For many centuries the Andean people, continuing the tradition on their descendants, keeps the practice of these sacred ceremonies. They consider the union of man and woman a perfect balance of forces, so, in maintaining the harmony of the union they will prosper and happiness, left in the hands of Pacha Mama (Mother Earth), will come in material and immaterial abundance. The protection of the Apus, who are the guardians against the forces of the enemy who desire evil, is guarantee as long as the harmony of forces exists.
Then an Andean marriage is perceived as a spiritual and mystical bonding ceremony of a couple of opposite forces and at the same time complementary, that its meaning and preparation causes more deeper and subconscious effects. In the duality of the union, the presence of Universe and the Mother Earth (Pacha Mama) is symbolically represented by the 4 elements of nature, Water, Wind, Fire, and Earth. The couple will obtain the sacred power channelled through the Andean Priest, in which the divine energy is received in an exact way as if a baby is born through the union of the forces of the Universe and the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth). All these energies initiate the new life of the spouses.
The sacred ritual has to be performed by an Andean Priest or Shaman who knows the ancient and sacred tradition of the Andean marriage (Arac Masin), and all its details. Many times he is accompanied by an assistant, who is called "Aclla."
To perform the ceremony, it is necessary for the couple to commit themselves to the ritual, in which all of the natural energies present at the site are including in the union symbolizing the connection between nature and humanity. That is the reason why the couple need to go to a site surrounded by mysticism and sacred energy, full of nature and peace, and they have to wear the typical attire.
The opening of minds and the expansion of the hearts produce the universal connection and interaction of this duality of forces that will transcend to eternity. The beautiful and magical landscapes and colorful flowers along the way mystified the event. The manifestation of Love is so pure and profound.
It represents much more than a traditional and common conjugal union between two individuals in which the marriage is an event filled with pressure, cliches and such little spirituality.
The Andean ceremony is a live interaction in which not only do the people present participate, but also are present all the sacred deities considered part of the Andean religion. We can mention here the main ones that constitute the Andean duality which is composed of the Apus (Mountain Spirits), representing the masculine force and the Pacha Mama (Earth Mother), representing the complementing feminine force, and in addition to these two main forces, Water has to be present as is perceived as the element that represent Purity, and the presence of Fire which symbolizes the mystical Journey/Path or Strength.
The couple carry their 3 coca leaves that represent the serpent, puma, and condor (3 levels of existence) and with all of their intentions drop it in the River. The River carried their coca leaves, as a symbol of their everlasting love for each other able to surpass any obstacle along their journey.
For many centuries the Andean people, continuing the tradition on their descendants, keeps the practice of these sacred ceremonies. They consider the union of man and woman a perfect balance of forces, so, in maintaining the harmony of the union they will prosper and happiness, left in the hands of Pacha Mama (Mother Earth), will come in material and immaterial abundance. The protection of the Apus, who are the guardians against the forces of the enemy who desire evil, is guarantee as long as the harmony of forces exists.
Then an Andean marriage is perceived as a spiritual and mystical bonding ceremony of a couple of opposite forces and at the same time complementary, that its meaning and preparation causes more deeper and subconscious effects. In the duality of the union, the presence of Universe and the Mother Earth (Pacha Mama) is symbolically represented by the 4 elements of nature, Water, Wind, Fire, and Earth. The couple will obtain the sacred power channelled through the Andean Priest, in which the divine energy is received in an exact way as if a baby is born through the union of the forces of the Universe and the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth). All these energies initiate the new life of the spouses.
The sacred ritual has to be performed by an Andean Priest or Shaman who knows the ancient and sacred tradition of the Andean marriage (Arac Masin), and all its details. Many times he is accompanied by an assistant, who is called "Aclla."
To perform the ceremony, it is necessary for the couple to commit themselves to the ritual, in which all of the natural energies present at the site are including in the union symbolizing the connection between nature and humanity. That is the reason why the couple need to go to a site surrounded by mysticism and sacred energy, full of nature and peace, and they have to wear the typical attire.
The opening of minds and the expansion of the hearts produce the universal connection and interaction of this duality of forces that will transcend to eternity. The beautiful and magical landscapes and colorful flowers along the way mystified the event. The manifestation of Love is so pure and profound.
It represents much more than a traditional and common conjugal union between two individuals in which the marriage is an event filled with pressure, cliches and such little spirituality.
The Andean ceremony is a live interaction in which not only do the people present participate, but also are present all the sacred deities considered part of the Andean religion. We can mention here the main ones that constitute the Andean duality which is composed of the Apus (Mountain Spirits), representing the masculine force and the Pacha Mama (Earth Mother), representing the complementing feminine force, and in addition to these two main forces, Water has to be present as is perceived as the element that represent Purity, and the presence of Fire which symbolizes the mystical Journey/Path or Strength.
The couple carry their 3 coca leaves that represent the serpent, puma, and condor (3 levels of existence) and with all of their intentions drop it in the River. The River carried their coca leaves, as a symbol of their everlasting love for each other able to surpass any obstacle along their journey.
Monday, December 25, 2017
THE ANDES AND ITS NATURAL SCENERY.
The Andes is the largest of all the mountains ranges in the World, anchored at Cape Horn on the "Land of Fire" (Tierra del Fuego), at the very Southern tip of Chile and Argentina, following the West Coast of South America, creating a dense Mountain barrier of high mountains and volcanoes along its 7500 kilometers; until it is finally lost in the Caribbean Sea and the Plains of Venezuela.
The Mountain barrier of high mountains and volcanoes stops the dense clouds that rise from the Amazon and keeps the hot sands of extremely dry deserts along the Pacific coast cool, which are even drier because of the cold, rich waters of the Humboldt current. This phenomenon reduces the climate temperature and makes it less likely to rain; however, occasionally this happens because of the "Child Chill Breeze (Corriente Fria del Nino)". This phenomenon causes climate changes in the Andes and heavy rains in the North that results in overflowing rivers and floods, while the Southern part suffers a prolonged drought. This event occurs every 3 or 4 years, while the one with devastating consequences occurs every 8 or 15 years.
The geography of the Andes and the variety of climates found along its ranges encouraged the emergence of an amazing natural diversity in the midst of the toughest terrain on the planet.
At the altitude of 600 meters above sea level, the climate is tropical, corn and cotton are the most produced. However, the existence of cotton cultivated at 2,850 meters above sea level was recorded in 1552. On the slopes of the Eastern jungles, fauna is represented by forest animals, including the Amazon alligator, the jaguar and the boa.
There are at least 1,710 species of birds that have been identified, 460 mammals, 330 amphibians, more than 17,000 species of plants and many insects that are not yet counted.
The coca plant, a shrub that grows up to 3 meters high, grows vigorously at an altitude of 1,800 meters.
The plant produces small red berries and a foliage of oval leaves with very soft edges that once dry are chewed to reduce temporarily the feelings of fatigue and hunger during the hours of grueling work in the highlands. The leaves contain carotene, riboflavin, thiamine, iron and calcium, and active alkaloids that helps digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. It is also known that by chewing the leaves or drink the tea made of the leaves alleviates the effect of altitude sickness, helping to relax the airways in the lungs and restore the smooth tone of the muscles of the digestive system to people who are not acclimatized to high altitudes. The leaves are also used in the activities of worship and shamanism.
Botanical studies suggest that coca grew on the mountainous jungles of Peru and spread throughout the Andes. One of the oldest examples of its use was found in the Northern Coast of Peru in Huaca Prieta (2500-1800 BC), where coca leaves were found with lime containers (an alkaline reagent that releases the alkaloids of the leaves). The Incas achieved the control of coca cultivation supplying the whole Empire with the shrub from the jungle to regions near Cuzco, acclimatizing the plant to higher altitudes and so were able to grow in the Sacred Valley.
The Puma/Jaguar, one of the Inca's sacred animals, lives in very high areas where the cultivation of quinoa, amaranth, lupine, potato, and other crops are done. The Puma/Jaguar represented the co-essence for pre- Columbian rulers and such association continue into the present with regard to shamanism. This may have to do with the growl of the Puma/Jaguar, which is said to sound like thunder, and the fact that they generally hunt at dusk and dawn. Dawn and dusk are perceived throughout the Andean people as the "split between the worlds (the unseen and the physical), as they are neither day nor night. These association are also related to shadow, and these are the times of the day when shadows are most apparent. One of the most important characteristic of the Jaguar behaviour is the fact that they are able to swim and even known to fish, and bodies of water symbolize a conduit to the world below. Jaguars are one of the few large feline predators that swim, thus providing a logical association with the underworld.
The Mountain barrier of high mountains and volcanoes stops the dense clouds that rise from the Amazon and keeps the hot sands of extremely dry deserts along the Pacific coast cool, which are even drier because of the cold, rich waters of the Humboldt current. This phenomenon reduces the climate temperature and makes it less likely to rain; however, occasionally this happens because of the "Child Chill Breeze (Corriente Fria del Nino)". This phenomenon causes climate changes in the Andes and heavy rains in the North that results in overflowing rivers and floods, while the Southern part suffers a prolonged drought. This event occurs every 3 or 4 years, while the one with devastating consequences occurs every 8 or 15 years.
The geography of the Andes and the variety of climates found along its ranges encouraged the emergence of an amazing natural diversity in the midst of the toughest terrain on the planet.
At the altitude of 600 meters above sea level, the climate is tropical, corn and cotton are the most produced. However, the existence of cotton cultivated at 2,850 meters above sea level was recorded in 1552. On the slopes of the Eastern jungles, fauna is represented by forest animals, including the Amazon alligator, the jaguar and the boa.
There are at least 1,710 species of birds that have been identified, 460 mammals, 330 amphibians, more than 17,000 species of plants and many insects that are not yet counted.
The coca plant, a shrub that grows up to 3 meters high, grows vigorously at an altitude of 1,800 meters.
The plant produces small red berries and a foliage of oval leaves with very soft edges that once dry are chewed to reduce temporarily the feelings of fatigue and hunger during the hours of grueling work in the highlands. The leaves contain carotene, riboflavin, thiamine, iron and calcium, and active alkaloids that helps digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. It is also known that by chewing the leaves or drink the tea made of the leaves alleviates the effect of altitude sickness, helping to relax the airways in the lungs and restore the smooth tone of the muscles of the digestive system to people who are not acclimatized to high altitudes. The leaves are also used in the activities of worship and shamanism.
Botanical studies suggest that coca grew on the mountainous jungles of Peru and spread throughout the Andes. One of the oldest examples of its use was found in the Northern Coast of Peru in Huaca Prieta (2500-1800 BC), where coca leaves were found with lime containers (an alkaline reagent that releases the alkaloids of the leaves). The Incas achieved the control of coca cultivation supplying the whole Empire with the shrub from the jungle to regions near Cuzco, acclimatizing the plant to higher altitudes and so were able to grow in the Sacred Valley.
The Puma/Jaguar, one of the Inca's sacred animals, lives in very high areas where the cultivation of quinoa, amaranth, lupine, potato, and other crops are done. The Puma/Jaguar represented the co-essence for pre- Columbian rulers and such association continue into the present with regard to shamanism. This may have to do with the growl of the Puma/Jaguar, which is said to sound like thunder, and the fact that they generally hunt at dusk and dawn. Dawn and dusk are perceived throughout the Andean people as the "split between the worlds (the unseen and the physical), as they are neither day nor night. These association are also related to shadow, and these are the times of the day when shadows are most apparent. One of the most important characteristic of the Jaguar behaviour is the fact that they are able to swim and even known to fish, and bodies of water symbolize a conduit to the world below. Jaguars are one of the few large feline predators that swim, thus providing a logical association with the underworld.
THE ANDEAN SHAMANISM.
Shamanism exhibits particular characteristics in the Andes of South America that are distinct to varying degrees from what occurs in other parts of the world. The purpose is to gain true knowledge from the unseen supernatural condition of existence that surpass the information processed by the 5 senses of the human body from the physical world. The most powerful shamans in Peru are those who have been struck by lightning 3 times.
The human experience of passage from one realm to another brings all realms of time and space into a relationship with one another. The origins of this are related in part to being able to anticipate or predict future events and to interpret the past using "true knowledge." The shaman master this process of mystical transition, which essentially constitutes human nature of life and its relationship with the unseen world.
Shamanism is understood as a kind of religious manifestation in which the powerful specialist provide gifts and offerings as well as veneration and respect to the spiritual entities that manifest themselves in return for their advice.
Ethnographic evidence from Northern highlands of Peru indicates the contemporary shamanism use the lakes, ponds, and lagoons near Huancabamba and Catequil of Huamchuco as places in which they reside and work. Locals commonly refers to these places as sites holding the primordial heat, the life force, the spiritual or animate essence that permeates all things -that is, the manifestation of the spiritual realm in whatever form it chooses to take.
The worship of the natural world underscore the fact that the sacred can certainly appear in many forms and the vocation or the calling for shamans is drawn from these type of manifestation. Thus it is properly defined as a divine calling in which the soul of the individual is called in order to acquire true knowledge and it possesses some extraordinary capacity or sensitivity to altered states and is able to interpret symbolic images in which the invisible is made manifest in dreams, visions, states of altered consciousness, meditation, sounds, and ecstatic flight.
The communication between the invisible to the visible world is achieved through "Huacas"(energy centers), by sensing or identifying primordial heat. Those areas of the Andes where metal ore deposits are located and where there is the most evidence of metal-crafting and metallurgical arts in general are the preference in terms of habitat for those individuals with the capacity to deal with these type of energies.
Control of Fire (energy) as a technique for spiritual transformation is considered by scholars of comparative religions to have been the first skill that shamans of mythical times developed. Other important associations included an ability to transform into a variety of forms, some meteorological, in the context of soul travel or ecstatic flight, that evokes a strong celestial association.
Contemporary shamans perform ecstatic flight as a result of spirit possession usually a condor or raptor, which imparts "true insight knowledge" or increased intelligence that surpass the boundaries of the five senses, since the astral experience is not caught by the boundaries of the physical world. Also they can take the form of a beam of light, lightning, clouds, or a breeze.
Shamans have close association to raptors, reptiles, and felines,particularly jaguar and puma.
The human experience of passage from one realm to another brings all realms of time and space into a relationship with one another. The origins of this are related in part to being able to anticipate or predict future events and to interpret the past using "true knowledge." The shaman master this process of mystical transition, which essentially constitutes human nature of life and its relationship with the unseen world.
Shamanism is understood as a kind of religious manifestation in which the powerful specialist provide gifts and offerings as well as veneration and respect to the spiritual entities that manifest themselves in return for their advice.
Ethnographic evidence from Northern highlands of Peru indicates the contemporary shamanism use the lakes, ponds, and lagoons near Huancabamba and Catequil of Huamchuco as places in which they reside and work. Locals commonly refers to these places as sites holding the primordial heat, the life force, the spiritual or animate essence that permeates all things -that is, the manifestation of the spiritual realm in whatever form it chooses to take.
The worship of the natural world underscore the fact that the sacred can certainly appear in many forms and the vocation or the calling for shamans is drawn from these type of manifestation. Thus it is properly defined as a divine calling in which the soul of the individual is called in order to acquire true knowledge and it possesses some extraordinary capacity or sensitivity to altered states and is able to interpret symbolic images in which the invisible is made manifest in dreams, visions, states of altered consciousness, meditation, sounds, and ecstatic flight.
The communication between the invisible to the visible world is achieved through "Huacas"(energy centers), by sensing or identifying primordial heat. Those areas of the Andes where metal ore deposits are located and where there is the most evidence of metal-crafting and metallurgical arts in general are the preference in terms of habitat for those individuals with the capacity to deal with these type of energies.
Control of Fire (energy) as a technique for spiritual transformation is considered by scholars of comparative religions to have been the first skill that shamans of mythical times developed. Other important associations included an ability to transform into a variety of forms, some meteorological, in the context of soul travel or ecstatic flight, that evokes a strong celestial association.
Contemporary shamans perform ecstatic flight as a result of spirit possession usually a condor or raptor, which imparts "true insight knowledge" or increased intelligence that surpass the boundaries of the five senses, since the astral experience is not caught by the boundaries of the physical world. Also they can take the form of a beam of light, lightning, clouds, or a breeze.
Shamans have close association to raptors, reptiles, and felines,particularly jaguar and puma.
Sunday, December 24, 2017
THE INCA AND THE COSMOS.
The Inca civilization that flourished in the Andes Mountains in South America, had a great knowledge of astral space, a product of detailed observation. They perceived the influence of the moon and the stars in the way people behave, the plants and the animals. They were able to identify the lunar phases, which could predict the times of rain and drought, the suitable time for planting and harvesting, etc.
The Incas not sow neither harvested in New Moon, on the contrary they did it on full moon. Sun eclipses were regarded as anger or distress in the energies of the sky and in order to apease their anger or prevent that turn off completely, they performed Llama sacrifices with fasting, praise and tears. Also, the passage of a comet, was a negative omen bringing death, natural disasters or wars.
Among the major constellations identified by the Incas, they are: Chakana (South Cross), Colca (Pleyades), Atoq (Fox), Amaru (Snake), Kuntur (Condor), Llut'u (Partridge), Mallki (The Tree of Life), Katachillay (Llama), Hamp'Ato (Toad), etc.
They had observatories on the tops of some mountains but usually were located in their temples. The Inca astronomers lived close to the tops of the mountains, and were dedicated full time to observing the behavior of the stars, also they used the reflection of water (water mirror), and the projection of light and shadow. In sundials as the Intihuatana, they were able to identified very accurately, the dates of the solstices and equinoxes.
Worship was very important to them and they had a very elaborated religion based on the movement of the constellations and stars. They identified each of their movements as a kind of language that the entities living in them had to transmit in the form of special phenomena to promote the harmony between the worlds: physical and non-physical.
The understanding of this phenomena was initiated by cultures that existed prior the Inca civilization. The Incas placed a great importance in these studies of astronomy from previous cultures and absorbed them in such a way that let them to increase their knowledge about the language of the universe. They were the only culture in the World to define constellations of both light and darkness. Spirits that were believed to inhabit any remarkable phenomena were respected and treated as a supernatural entity. Huacas (centers of energy), large boulders, trees, streams or waterfalls were treated as places in which these supernatural entities were able to inhabit.
The Incas, upon looking at the constellations, believed that everything in and around our World was connected through a powerful principle or Law underlying the perception and ordering of objects and events in the physical environments. They believed that Viracocha, the Creator God, had ensured that each of the animal or bird had a corresponding star and that all living things would be protected. The stars needed to be grouped into constellations and that knowledge became very important to them in order to promote from the physical environment entrusted to them the kind of harmony needed to ensure peace between the physical and non-physical forces.
The construction of the famous Machu Picchu site is connected to the stars as a sacred ceremonial site, as an agricultural center, and as an astronomical observatory. The snake in the sky has the same cycle as snakes on the earth, both living in harmony, alongside the other celestial animals.
The constellations were sorted out into two groups: the first group group were observed through the groupings of stars that made connect-the-dots manner to form pictures of animals, images of heroes, gods, and more. These constellations were considered as inanimate. One star grouping, Pleiades was especially believed to be influential over the well-being of animals. The Shamans offered regular sacrifices to the star grouping because it was perceived as a site invested with sacred energy (huaca).
The second group of constellations could only be observed when there were no stars; they were the dark spots or blotches on the Milky Way (Mayu). These dark blotches were considered as living (animate) animals. The animals were believed to live in the Milky Way (Mayu), which they perceived it as a River.
The Inca knowledge of stars and constellations and the importance they had over the agricultural cycle shows us their belief that everything in their World was connected. The sky to them had a very special meaning in managing their day to day life.
The Incas not sow neither harvested in New Moon, on the contrary they did it on full moon. Sun eclipses were regarded as anger or distress in the energies of the sky and in order to apease their anger or prevent that turn off completely, they performed Llama sacrifices with fasting, praise and tears. Also, the passage of a comet, was a negative omen bringing death, natural disasters or wars.
Among the major constellations identified by the Incas, they are: Chakana (South Cross), Colca (Pleyades), Atoq (Fox), Amaru (Snake), Kuntur (Condor), Llut'u (Partridge), Mallki (The Tree of Life), Katachillay (Llama), Hamp'Ato (Toad), etc.
They had observatories on the tops of some mountains but usually were located in their temples. The Inca astronomers lived close to the tops of the mountains, and were dedicated full time to observing the behavior of the stars, also they used the reflection of water (water mirror), and the projection of light and shadow. In sundials as the Intihuatana, they were able to identified very accurately, the dates of the solstices and equinoxes.
Worship was very important to them and they had a very elaborated religion based on the movement of the constellations and stars. They identified each of their movements as a kind of language that the entities living in them had to transmit in the form of special phenomena to promote the harmony between the worlds: physical and non-physical.
The understanding of this phenomena was initiated by cultures that existed prior the Inca civilization. The Incas placed a great importance in these studies of astronomy from previous cultures and absorbed them in such a way that let them to increase their knowledge about the language of the universe. They were the only culture in the World to define constellations of both light and darkness. Spirits that were believed to inhabit any remarkable phenomena were respected and treated as a supernatural entity. Huacas (centers of energy), large boulders, trees, streams or waterfalls were treated as places in which these supernatural entities were able to inhabit.
The Incas, upon looking at the constellations, believed that everything in and around our World was connected through a powerful principle or Law underlying the perception and ordering of objects and events in the physical environments. They believed that Viracocha, the Creator God, had ensured that each of the animal or bird had a corresponding star and that all living things would be protected. The stars needed to be grouped into constellations and that knowledge became very important to them in order to promote from the physical environment entrusted to them the kind of harmony needed to ensure peace between the physical and non-physical forces.
The construction of the famous Machu Picchu site is connected to the stars as a sacred ceremonial site, as an agricultural center, and as an astronomical observatory. The snake in the sky has the same cycle as snakes on the earth, both living in harmony, alongside the other celestial animals.
The constellations were sorted out into two groups: the first group group were observed through the groupings of stars that made connect-the-dots manner to form pictures of animals, images of heroes, gods, and more. These constellations were considered as inanimate. One star grouping, Pleiades was especially believed to be influential over the well-being of animals. The Shamans offered regular sacrifices to the star grouping because it was perceived as a site invested with sacred energy (huaca).
The second group of constellations could only be observed when there were no stars; they were the dark spots or blotches on the Milky Way (Mayu). These dark blotches were considered as living (animate) animals. The animals were believed to live in the Milky Way (Mayu), which they perceived it as a River.
The Inca knowledge of stars and constellations and the importance they had over the agricultural cycle shows us their belief that everything in their World was connected. The sky to them had a very special meaning in managing their day to day life.
Friday, December 22, 2017
THE ANDEAN PEOPLE AND THE COCA LEAF.
The Andean people, specially those living at a very high altitude, has made fundamental changes in their genes to deal with their harsh environment. To cope with the strenuous activities at such high altitudes the use of the coca leaf for medicinal purposes has been a centuries-old tradition.
The coca shrub grows wild across regions of Central and South Andean mountains. The antiquity of its use as a chewing leaf has been confirmed through carbon dating of mummified human remains more than 3,000 years ago, and being an important part of the daily life of the Andean people.
The chewing of the coca leaf provides risk-free benefits to the body of the Andean people when they are participating in remote wilderness activities and are exposed to the physical and environmental challenges inherent to the geographical scenario. The most widely publicized effect of the chewing leaf is its function in increasing work capacity, including reduction of bodily fatigue and the alleviation of thirst and hunger.
There are more than 1.1 million visitors to Machu Picchu (altitude 2,430m) and Cuzco (altitude 3,400m), Peru every year along with sold-out permits for the high altitude Inca Trail. Travelers often ascend to the city from sea level on commercial flights lasting less than 1 hour. Coca leaf tea is frequently recommended by local tourist industry and by travelers word of mouth for the symptomatic relief of acute mountain sickness.
High Altitude environments can be debilitating to un-acclimatized individuals exposed to elevations above 3,000m for periods ranging from several hours to days. The decreasing barometric pressure lowers the density of the air. The higher you go, the more the air thins.
Moderate hypoxia induces substantial alterations in physiological and psychological parameters within few hours to those who attempt to climb the Andean mountains. A lot of cognitive issues that the individual faces after climbing are almost like a hangover and it could take a couple of weeks or a month or so before they start to feel more articulated and capable of carrying on a coherent conversation. Immediately upon ascent to high altitude, there is decrease blood oxygenation, which reduces the oxygen supply throughout the periphery and the brain. Adverse changes in mood states, as well as impairment in mental performance, occur during such altitude exposure, depending not only on the altitude and rate of climb, but also on the length of stay and effort expended to reach the desire altitude. Only sleepiness changed at 1,600m with the individual becoming sleepier compared to sea level. However, by day 2 after ascent to 4,300m, the initial mood experienced is euphoria, followed by depression. Subjects become less friendly, less clear thinking, and dizzier and with time, they may also become aggressive, unhappy, quarrelsome, anxious, and apathetic. Although, the body compensates, at least in part, for the lack of oxygen with a variety of physiological responses and adjustments.
The use of the coca leaf has long been viewed in the Andean culture as a remedy for symptoms experienced when traveling or working at high altitude. When a powerful community of people has venerated a particular practice for thousands of years, it stands to reason that there is more to discover about its functional advantage over brain waives performance at such very high altitudes.
The coca shrub grows wild across regions of Central and South Andean mountains. The antiquity of its use as a chewing leaf has been confirmed through carbon dating of mummified human remains more than 3,000 years ago, and being an important part of the daily life of the Andean people.
The chewing of the coca leaf provides risk-free benefits to the body of the Andean people when they are participating in remote wilderness activities and are exposed to the physical and environmental challenges inherent to the geographical scenario. The most widely publicized effect of the chewing leaf is its function in increasing work capacity, including reduction of bodily fatigue and the alleviation of thirst and hunger.
There are more than 1.1 million visitors to Machu Picchu (altitude 2,430m) and Cuzco (altitude 3,400m), Peru every year along with sold-out permits for the high altitude Inca Trail. Travelers often ascend to the city from sea level on commercial flights lasting less than 1 hour. Coca leaf tea is frequently recommended by local tourist industry and by travelers word of mouth for the symptomatic relief of acute mountain sickness.
High Altitude environments can be debilitating to un-acclimatized individuals exposed to elevations above 3,000m for periods ranging from several hours to days. The decreasing barometric pressure lowers the density of the air. The higher you go, the more the air thins.
Moderate hypoxia induces substantial alterations in physiological and psychological parameters within few hours to those who attempt to climb the Andean mountains. A lot of cognitive issues that the individual faces after climbing are almost like a hangover and it could take a couple of weeks or a month or so before they start to feel more articulated and capable of carrying on a coherent conversation. Immediately upon ascent to high altitude, there is decrease blood oxygenation, which reduces the oxygen supply throughout the periphery and the brain. Adverse changes in mood states, as well as impairment in mental performance, occur during such altitude exposure, depending not only on the altitude and rate of climb, but also on the length of stay and effort expended to reach the desire altitude. Only sleepiness changed at 1,600m with the individual becoming sleepier compared to sea level. However, by day 2 after ascent to 4,300m, the initial mood experienced is euphoria, followed by depression. Subjects become less friendly, less clear thinking, and dizzier and with time, they may also become aggressive, unhappy, quarrelsome, anxious, and apathetic. Although, the body compensates, at least in part, for the lack of oxygen with a variety of physiological responses and adjustments.
The use of the coca leaf has long been viewed in the Andean culture as a remedy for symptoms experienced when traveling or working at high altitude. When a powerful community of people has venerated a particular practice for thousands of years, it stands to reason that there is more to discover about its functional advantage over brain waives performance at such very high altitudes.
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
REPTILES OF THE AMAZON RIVER.
The Western Amazon Rain Forest, found in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Western Brazil, has the highest diversity of reptiles in South America and there is a comparatively low amount in the Eastern Amazon. There are more than 450 species of lizards, snakes, turtles, tortoises, and caiman in the Amazon Basin. But despite this abundance of species, our knowledge of many Amazon reptiles is still poor.
Amazon reptiles occupy a very wide range of habitats (e.g. creeks, oxbows, rain forest canopy) and also show differences in their feeding habits. Most reptiles, such as the boa, are carnivorous (they feed exclusively on other animals) while others, such as the green iguana, are primarily herbivorous (they eat mostly mostly plant matter).
Boas are without a doubt the most famous snakes in the World. The widespread fauna of the Amazon River includes 5 species: Boa Constrictor, Emerald tree Boa, Common tree Boa, and the Rainbow Boa.
Different Boa species use different habitats to specialize themselves on different preys, making them able to coexist with limited competition from each other. To kill their prey, boas lie in wait until a suitable prey is in sight, wrap themselves around the victim and suffocate them. Prey may include fish, turtles, lizards, birds, and even mammals. They need to swallow their prey whole.
Crocodiles and Alligators (Caimans) found in the Amazon River are most active at night. These animals eat fish and other water dwelling animals, such as birds and snakes. Crocodilians and Alligators/Caiman look the same, but "Crocs" have snouts that are more pointed than the "Gators." Crocodiles also have the upper 4th tooth visible when the jaws are closed. Alligators/Caimans avoid saltwater. They are also more abundant.
Turtles found in the Amazon River belong to an ancient group called side-necked turtles. These turtles have inhabited the earth for more than 158 million years. The head is tucked sideways rather than being hidden inside the shell. Only about 20 species are found. The River Turtle known as Arrau and Charapa, is the largest freshwater turtle in South America, with shells over 80 cm long reported for some females. Males are smaller and measure 40 cm on average.
The Amazon turtles are of biological, social and cultural importance. Biologically, turtles act as indicators species as they are sensitive to changes to their habitat. According to the Colombian Data of Reptiles in the Amazon Rain Forest, especially the species in the Orinoco River are in critical danger of extinction while in the Amazon River it has been classified as endangered. But there is good news from the Amazon Riverside communities of people living along the River on the Peruvian site, they are collecting the Turtle's eggs in order to release them in safety. These are encouraging early footsteps in sustainable management of the species.
Lizards found in the Amazon Rain Forest belong to an assortment of different types (over 100). From the well known iguanas to the other less known animals like caiman lizards.
Iguanas are probably the most famous lizards in the World. Green iguanas can actually vary a lot in color from grey through to an orange tint. They are generally very adaptable, which is a reason why they have lasted so long in the pet trade. It is also how they have managed to diversify to offshore islands and adapt into the World's only living marine lizard. Green iguanas prefer an arboreal lifestyle and are often found in trees near water in Amazon forests.
Caiman Lizards are named due to their crocodilian-like skin. They are a semi-aquatic lizard and prefer living in areas close to water. They can be rarely seen in dry season, but will be seen throughout the wet season on branches or in water.
Many reptiles species are illegally collected an exported for the international per trade.
Amazon reptiles occupy a very wide range of habitats (e.g. creeks, oxbows, rain forest canopy) and also show differences in their feeding habits. Most reptiles, such as the boa, are carnivorous (they feed exclusively on other animals) while others, such as the green iguana, are primarily herbivorous (they eat mostly mostly plant matter).
Boas are without a doubt the most famous snakes in the World. The widespread fauna of the Amazon River includes 5 species: Boa Constrictor, Emerald tree Boa, Common tree Boa, and the Rainbow Boa.
Different Boa species use different habitats to specialize themselves on different preys, making them able to coexist with limited competition from each other. To kill their prey, boas lie in wait until a suitable prey is in sight, wrap themselves around the victim and suffocate them. Prey may include fish, turtles, lizards, birds, and even mammals. They need to swallow their prey whole.
Crocodiles and Alligators (Caimans) found in the Amazon River are most active at night. These animals eat fish and other water dwelling animals, such as birds and snakes. Crocodilians and Alligators/Caiman look the same, but "Crocs" have snouts that are more pointed than the "Gators." Crocodiles also have the upper 4th tooth visible when the jaws are closed. Alligators/Caimans avoid saltwater. They are also more abundant.
Turtles found in the Amazon River belong to an ancient group called side-necked turtles. These turtles have inhabited the earth for more than 158 million years. The head is tucked sideways rather than being hidden inside the shell. Only about 20 species are found. The River Turtle known as Arrau and Charapa, is the largest freshwater turtle in South America, with shells over 80 cm long reported for some females. Males are smaller and measure 40 cm on average.
The Amazon turtles are of biological, social and cultural importance. Biologically, turtles act as indicators species as they are sensitive to changes to their habitat. According to the Colombian Data of Reptiles in the Amazon Rain Forest, especially the species in the Orinoco River are in critical danger of extinction while in the Amazon River it has been classified as endangered. But there is good news from the Amazon Riverside communities of people living along the River on the Peruvian site, they are collecting the Turtle's eggs in order to release them in safety. These are encouraging early footsteps in sustainable management of the species.
Lizards found in the Amazon Rain Forest belong to an assortment of different types (over 100). From the well known iguanas to the other less known animals like caiman lizards.
Iguanas are probably the most famous lizards in the World. Green iguanas can actually vary a lot in color from grey through to an orange tint. They are generally very adaptable, which is a reason why they have lasted so long in the pet trade. It is also how they have managed to diversify to offshore islands and adapt into the World's only living marine lizard. Green iguanas prefer an arboreal lifestyle and are often found in trees near water in Amazon forests.
Caiman Lizards are named due to their crocodilian-like skin. They are a semi-aquatic lizard and prefer living in areas close to water. They can be rarely seen in dry season, but will be seen throughout the wet season on branches or in water.
Many reptiles species are illegally collected an exported for the international per trade.
Saturday, December 16, 2017
THE PEOPLE OF THE TITICACA LAKE.
The vast Titicaca Lake stretches 58,000 km2 across two countries, Peru and Bolivia, and sits at a high altitude of 3812m. It is the World's highest navigable Lake and the birthplace of the Inca people.
There are two main groups of descendants from ancient civilizations in Southern -Peru -the Quechua and the Aymara- speaking people. Puno is the only place in the World where you can find people from the two groups living unanimously together. Above Puno towards the North, there are only Quechua-speaking people, while in the South are the Aymara-speaking group.
The people of the Titicaca Lake have created a unique culture and a fascinating way of leaving a life around the vicinity of the city of Puno, Southern Peru. They pre-dates the Inca civilization preserving most of their ancient and unique way of living to this day. They consider themselves the guardians of the Lake and their chosen way of life protects them from foreign influence. They also claim to have a type of black blood that let them not to feel the cold temperatures of the region. They are World famous for their peaceful beauty and well-preserved traditional agrarian culture.
On the Titicaca Lake there are over 60 little floating villages with 4,000 people, that their people have constructed with natural resources. Using reeds (Totora, a strong aquatic plant), they build temporary houses that float atop the water surface.
The islands are made from layers of dried reeds that are woven together and fixed to the bed of the lake to stop them from moving. An island can last up to 30 years if it is kept in the right condition. When the reeds at the bottom rot from the water, new layers of reeds have to be added every 2 weeks for better resistance. The process of rebuilding the island requires constant maintenance and is one of the mainly daily tasks for the people of the Lake. Every floating village is inhabited by 8 families.
The people of the Lakes build boats and huts from the same reeds using similar technique to that of the islands.
The people of the Titicaca Lake lead a very simple life, catching food from the Lake, exchanging fish for any products they need and getting all their basic necessities from the environment. They maintain a light and healthy diet based on trout, quinoa, potatoes, oca, and a variety of herbs. The food is cooked with fire placed on a pile of stones. They do not eat meat products due to the peculiar atmospheric conditions caused by the region's high altitude. Food takes longer to digest than at sea level.
The people of the Titicaca Lake are completely self-sufficient. They weave their own clothes and materials. The quality of their garments and fabrics fills them with pride. Once the women are ready to settle down, they begin wearing colorful pompoms on their hats to announce they are ready to marry. If they are successful, they wear a red dress, meaning "married."
The people of the Titicaca Lake do not need money to survive as they get everything they need from their natural surroundings without destroying it.
There are two main groups of descendants from ancient civilizations in Southern -Peru -the Quechua and the Aymara- speaking people. Puno is the only place in the World where you can find people from the two groups living unanimously together. Above Puno towards the North, there are only Quechua-speaking people, while in the South are the Aymara-speaking group.
The people of the Titicaca Lake have created a unique culture and a fascinating way of leaving a life around the vicinity of the city of Puno, Southern Peru. They pre-dates the Inca civilization preserving most of their ancient and unique way of living to this day. They consider themselves the guardians of the Lake and their chosen way of life protects them from foreign influence. They also claim to have a type of black blood that let them not to feel the cold temperatures of the region. They are World famous for their peaceful beauty and well-preserved traditional agrarian culture.
On the Titicaca Lake there are over 60 little floating villages with 4,000 people, that their people have constructed with natural resources. Using reeds (Totora, a strong aquatic plant), they build temporary houses that float atop the water surface.
The islands are made from layers of dried reeds that are woven together and fixed to the bed of the lake to stop them from moving. An island can last up to 30 years if it is kept in the right condition. When the reeds at the bottom rot from the water, new layers of reeds have to be added every 2 weeks for better resistance. The process of rebuilding the island requires constant maintenance and is one of the mainly daily tasks for the people of the Lake. Every floating village is inhabited by 8 families.
The people of the Lakes build boats and huts from the same reeds using similar technique to that of the islands.
The people of the Titicaca Lake lead a very simple life, catching food from the Lake, exchanging fish for any products they need and getting all their basic necessities from the environment. They maintain a light and healthy diet based on trout, quinoa, potatoes, oca, and a variety of herbs. The food is cooked with fire placed on a pile of stones. They do not eat meat products due to the peculiar atmospheric conditions caused by the region's high altitude. Food takes longer to digest than at sea level.
The people of the Titicaca Lake are completely self-sufficient. They weave their own clothes and materials. The quality of their garments and fabrics fills them with pride. Once the women are ready to settle down, they begin wearing colorful pompoms on their hats to announce they are ready to marry. If they are successful, they wear a red dress, meaning "married."
The people of the Titicaca Lake do not need money to survive as they get everything they need from their natural surroundings without destroying it.
INCA'S LAW.
The Incas were a great imperial state that raised in the Andean highlands and extended their control over some 3,000 miles. Despite the beauty of its landscapes, life in the highlands and the dry and over the sandy soil of the Coast line is pretty much very hard. Water is a scarce resource, which is accessed by seasons and the rugged terrain makes agriculture a very hard work.
For the inhabitants of the Inca Empire, the execution of the divine law that controlled the Water and the Land were beyond their power, they needed to submit themselves to the divine entities in charge of it. The Incas sought to expand agricultural areas, continuing building terraces complemented by very complex irrigation systems.
Because of their belief based on two elements Water and Earth, they understood that the origin of two elements were in the cosmos governed by a divine Law. Then they incorporated laws of previous Andean cultures, and fused them together and applied them in new and harmonic ways.
The state organization was superb in controlling peoples of different cultures and languages achieving a level of integration and domination never achieved before in the highlands of South America.
Rather than the breakdown of power that took place in many cultures around the World, in the Andean zone a number of large states continued to be important. Some states were in the Andean highlands on the broad open areas near Lake Titicaca, and other states were along rivers on the North Coast. They remained as centers of agricultural activity and population density. Of these states the coastal kingdom of Chimu, centered on its capital of Chan Chan, emerged as the most powerful. It gained control of most of the North Coast of Peru.
The Inca Law based on a set of powerful divine beliefs, customs and practices was very powerful.
The Inca imposed a set of 3 Laws on its citizens to maintain a level of morality on a very disciplined society: "Ama Sua, Ama Llulla, Ama Quella," or "Do not steal, Do not lie, Do not be lazy."
The Law promoted peace among its citizens, and the level of crime was very low. There was no system of imprisonment, and when a crime was committed the punishment was ruthless.
Since the purpose of the Law was to teach a lesson to the offender and prevent re-occurrence by any member of the society, mutilation and death penalty were applied as a exemplary to the rest of the population. Those who survived a punishment were forced to tell their experience for the rest of their lives and those interested in listening would give them food so basically their survival was based on how engaging and compelling their stories were.
The Inca Law then was very severe since it was understood as a kind of tool that regulated the divine cosmic energy of the 2 elements Water and Earth and the harmony between them was the mission they had to accomplish during its time on Earth. Any kind of law transgression was considered an action against divinities and penalties were collective or personal, according to the level of crime, from simple mass repressions to the isolation of entire villages.
Rebellions, homicide, adultery, second offenses in drunkenness, theft, and laziness, were all punished to death by stoning, hanging, or pushing the person off the cliff. Mutilations were common for theft.
When the Incas conquered a new territory local law and rules continued to be applied since they had a divine origin and the supernatural entities in control were respected unless they were in conflict with the Inca Law. If the leader of the newly conquered territory opposed the new divine set of rules, he would be executed and a new loyal leader were elected to oversee and secure loyalty among the population. This new leader was usually transferred from another territory along with his family and entourage.
The world view of the Incas were reflected in its concern for food security meaning that the social organization of the empire was aimed at productivity and expanding borders to earn higher definition of power in their farmlands. Since their spiritual world was based on duality and reciprocity they maintained a fusion of power between the two in which harmony was the major ingredient.
For the inhabitants of the Inca Empire, the execution of the divine law that controlled the Water and the Land were beyond their power, they needed to submit themselves to the divine entities in charge of it. The Incas sought to expand agricultural areas, continuing building terraces complemented by very complex irrigation systems.
Because of their belief based on two elements Water and Earth, they understood that the origin of two elements were in the cosmos governed by a divine Law. Then they incorporated laws of previous Andean cultures, and fused them together and applied them in new and harmonic ways.
The state organization was superb in controlling peoples of different cultures and languages achieving a level of integration and domination never achieved before in the highlands of South America.
Rather than the breakdown of power that took place in many cultures around the World, in the Andean zone a number of large states continued to be important. Some states were in the Andean highlands on the broad open areas near Lake Titicaca, and other states were along rivers on the North Coast. They remained as centers of agricultural activity and population density. Of these states the coastal kingdom of Chimu, centered on its capital of Chan Chan, emerged as the most powerful. It gained control of most of the North Coast of Peru.
The Inca Law based on a set of powerful divine beliefs, customs and practices was very powerful.
The Inca imposed a set of 3 Laws on its citizens to maintain a level of morality on a very disciplined society: "Ama Sua, Ama Llulla, Ama Quella," or "Do not steal, Do not lie, Do not be lazy."
The Law promoted peace among its citizens, and the level of crime was very low. There was no system of imprisonment, and when a crime was committed the punishment was ruthless.
Since the purpose of the Law was to teach a lesson to the offender and prevent re-occurrence by any member of the society, mutilation and death penalty were applied as a exemplary to the rest of the population. Those who survived a punishment were forced to tell their experience for the rest of their lives and those interested in listening would give them food so basically their survival was based on how engaging and compelling their stories were.
The Inca Law then was very severe since it was understood as a kind of tool that regulated the divine cosmic energy of the 2 elements Water and Earth and the harmony between them was the mission they had to accomplish during its time on Earth. Any kind of law transgression was considered an action against divinities and penalties were collective or personal, according to the level of crime, from simple mass repressions to the isolation of entire villages.
Rebellions, homicide, adultery, second offenses in drunkenness, theft, and laziness, were all punished to death by stoning, hanging, or pushing the person off the cliff. Mutilations were common for theft.
When the Incas conquered a new territory local law and rules continued to be applied since they had a divine origin and the supernatural entities in control were respected unless they were in conflict with the Inca Law. If the leader of the newly conquered territory opposed the new divine set of rules, he would be executed and a new loyal leader were elected to oversee and secure loyalty among the population. This new leader was usually transferred from another territory along with his family and entourage.
The world view of the Incas were reflected in its concern for food security meaning that the social organization of the empire was aimed at productivity and expanding borders to earn higher definition of power in their farmlands. Since their spiritual world was based on duality and reciprocity they maintained a fusion of power between the two in which harmony was the major ingredient.
Sunday, December 10, 2017
THE LEGEND OF AKAKOR.
In 1973, Erick von Daniken, at the height of his fame, claimed in his book "The Gold of the Gods" that he had found a gigantic subterranean tunnel system. The Gods came from a different solar system and built an underground tunnel system that connected a series of fortresses and cities.
The story that brought von Daniken to South America began in the Brazilian town of Manaus. There, on March 3, 1972, a German foreign correspondent Karl Brugger met a local Amazonian Indian, Tatunca Nara, that resulted in Brugger's book "The Chronicle of Akakor," published in 1976.
The number of foreign editions made at that time ended up in the creation of the legend of Akakor, a mythical town somewhere deep within the Amazonian jungle, still left to be discovered.
The title of the book was the same title used by the Amazonian tribe Ugha Mogulala's chronicle held sacred, or at least central, to their mythology and philosophy. The core message of the Chronicle was the statement that there were a network of tunnels, some of them still in existence today and used by the locals.
The local Amazonian Indian, Tatunca Nara claimed to be a member of this Amazonian tribe, the son of a native and the daughter of a German missionary, which was suppose to account for his impeccable German.
Tatunca Nara claimed that the Year Zero of the Chronicle was 10,841 BC. The time was very much outside of the framing time accepted by archaeological dates for human occupation of the Amazon at the time. But it perfectly matched in the "Atlantis and Deluge" theory that many alternative researchers favored, due to the already popular spiritualist Edgar Cayce.
The best evidence in favor of the Chronicle would be to discover any of the thirteen underground cities, which this civilization left behind in the Amazon jungle. Their most important ancient towns were said to be known as Akakor, Akanis, and Akahim, as well as Cuzco and Macchu Picchu.
Tatunca Nara added that the first place named Akanis, was built on a narrow isthmus at a place where the two oceans met together. The second place was Akakor, far up towards the Purus River, in a high valley in the mountains of the border between Brazil and Peru. The whole city was surrounded by a high stone wall with 13 gates that were so narrow that they permitted access only to one person a time. The city had a Great Temple of the Sun, it contained documents, such as maps and drawings telling the history of the Earth. The third place was Akahim that was linked with Akakor, and was situated on the borders of Brazil and Venezuela. Finally Cuzco and Macchu Picchu were known to be genuine towns known as far back 1,000 BC.
All these fortified cities were completely destroyed in the first Great Catastrophe thirteen years after the departure of the Gods, leaving very little to check on the ground for foreigners.
The legend of Akakor received an entirely new dimension when Karl Brugger was murdered when he was leaving a restaurant in Rio de Janeiro on January 1, 1984. Some have queried whether his murder had anything to do with his book and/or knowledge of the tunneled fortresses.
Since the 1970s, the Amazon has become much more open to the world. Akakor, however, remains undiscovered. After Brugger, several other people went into the jungle, apparently all enthralled by the legend of Akakor, trying to be the discoverer of this mythical city.
Today the tunnels still in existence are known only by the locals who still preserve their use for sacred rituals.
The story that brought von Daniken to South America began in the Brazilian town of Manaus. There, on March 3, 1972, a German foreign correspondent Karl Brugger met a local Amazonian Indian, Tatunca Nara, that resulted in Brugger's book "The Chronicle of Akakor," published in 1976.
The number of foreign editions made at that time ended up in the creation of the legend of Akakor, a mythical town somewhere deep within the Amazonian jungle, still left to be discovered.
The title of the book was the same title used by the Amazonian tribe Ugha Mogulala's chronicle held sacred, or at least central, to their mythology and philosophy. The core message of the Chronicle was the statement that there were a network of tunnels, some of them still in existence today and used by the locals.
The local Amazonian Indian, Tatunca Nara claimed to be a member of this Amazonian tribe, the son of a native and the daughter of a German missionary, which was suppose to account for his impeccable German.
Tatunca Nara claimed that the Year Zero of the Chronicle was 10,841 BC. The time was very much outside of the framing time accepted by archaeological dates for human occupation of the Amazon at the time. But it perfectly matched in the "Atlantis and Deluge" theory that many alternative researchers favored, due to the already popular spiritualist Edgar Cayce.
The best evidence in favor of the Chronicle would be to discover any of the thirteen underground cities, which this civilization left behind in the Amazon jungle. Their most important ancient towns were said to be known as Akakor, Akanis, and Akahim, as well as Cuzco and Macchu Picchu.
Tatunca Nara added that the first place named Akanis, was built on a narrow isthmus at a place where the two oceans met together. The second place was Akakor, far up towards the Purus River, in a high valley in the mountains of the border between Brazil and Peru. The whole city was surrounded by a high stone wall with 13 gates that were so narrow that they permitted access only to one person a time. The city had a Great Temple of the Sun, it contained documents, such as maps and drawings telling the history of the Earth. The third place was Akahim that was linked with Akakor, and was situated on the borders of Brazil and Venezuela. Finally Cuzco and Macchu Picchu were known to be genuine towns known as far back 1,000 BC.
All these fortified cities were completely destroyed in the first Great Catastrophe thirteen years after the departure of the Gods, leaving very little to check on the ground for foreigners.
The legend of Akakor received an entirely new dimension when Karl Brugger was murdered when he was leaving a restaurant in Rio de Janeiro on January 1, 1984. Some have queried whether his murder had anything to do with his book and/or knowledge of the tunneled fortresses.
Since the 1970s, the Amazon has become much more open to the world. Akakor, however, remains undiscovered. After Brugger, several other people went into the jungle, apparently all enthralled by the legend of Akakor, trying to be the discoverer of this mythical city.
Today the tunnels still in existence are known only by the locals who still preserve their use for sacred rituals.
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
THE ENCOMIENDA AND THE MITA.
The Spanish Crown organized a set of institutions for the administration and government of the lands taken from its owners in the New World.
The viceroyalties of New Spain and Peru headed the organization that were under control of the Crown up until the 18th century, when the viceroyalties of New Granada and Rio de la Plata were created.
The viceroyalties were divided into regional demarcations known as governments. Each of them was responsible for a territory with a specific numbers of towns or villages which were grouped together and controlled by magistracies.
Right from the start, cities were the nerve centers of all divisions of the administration, and the headquarters of all civil, ecclesiastical and military bodies were located there.
Each city was governed and administered by an institution imported directly from Spain. A flow of ideas, people and merchandise began to be exchanged between the viceroyalty of New Spain and the Philippine Islands, and over the centuries this created a permanent nexus between Asia and America.
The viceroyalty of Peru was created in 1542, and originally contained most of the South America land, and was governed from the capital of Lima. It was one of the two viceroyalties created in the Americas from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
The Spanish people did not resist the Portuguese expansion of Brazil. The creation during the 18th century of the viceroyalties of New Granada and Rio de la Plata, at the expense of Peru's territory, reduced the importance of Lima and shifted the lucrative Andean trade to Buenos Aires.
The "encomienda" was a labor system rewarding the labor of particular groups of people. It was established in the Old World during the Roman period and used also after the Christian re-conquest of Muslim territory. This labor system was applied on a very much larger scale during the formation of the cities in the New World and the Philippines. Conquered people were considered vasssals of the Crown and the awarding of an "encomienda" was grant from the crown to a particular individual. The grants were considered to be a monopoly on the labor of particular Andean people, held in perpetuity by the grant holder, called the "encomendero," and his descendants. In many cases natives were forced to do very hard labor in the highest parts of the Andes and subjected to extreme punishment and death if they resisted.
During the Inca times, "mita"( a ritualistic form of labor) was mandatory public service. It was a tribute to the forces of nature governing the spiritual energy of the land. The public service required was in a community-driven projects such as the building of their extensive road network beneficial to the community itself and others communities of Andean people. Military service was also mandatory and controlled by sacred and ritualistic laws. Also all citizens who could perform labor were required to do so for a set numbers of days out of a year. Actually the very basic meaning of the word "mita" in the Andean language is a "regular turn" or "a season."
The Incas elaborated creatively on a ancient preexisting system of not only the "mita" exchange of labor but also the exchange of the energy belonging to the objects of religious veneration of the peoples whom they took into their empire. The exchange ensured proper compliance among conquered people.
In this instance Huacas and Pacarinas became significant centers of shared worship and a point of unification of their ethnically and linguistically diverse empire, bringing unity and citizenship to often geographically disparate zones and its people. This led eventually to a system of pilgrimages throughout all these various shrines by the Andean people of the empire prior to the introduction of the European way of Christianity practiced in the Old World.
The viceroyalties of New Spain and Peru headed the organization that were under control of the Crown up until the 18th century, when the viceroyalties of New Granada and Rio de la Plata were created.
The viceroyalties were divided into regional demarcations known as governments. Each of them was responsible for a territory with a specific numbers of towns or villages which were grouped together and controlled by magistracies.
Right from the start, cities were the nerve centers of all divisions of the administration, and the headquarters of all civil, ecclesiastical and military bodies were located there.
Each city was governed and administered by an institution imported directly from Spain. A flow of ideas, people and merchandise began to be exchanged between the viceroyalty of New Spain and the Philippine Islands, and over the centuries this created a permanent nexus between Asia and America.
The viceroyalty of Peru was created in 1542, and originally contained most of the South America land, and was governed from the capital of Lima. It was one of the two viceroyalties created in the Americas from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
The Spanish people did not resist the Portuguese expansion of Brazil. The creation during the 18th century of the viceroyalties of New Granada and Rio de la Plata, at the expense of Peru's territory, reduced the importance of Lima and shifted the lucrative Andean trade to Buenos Aires.
The "encomienda" was a labor system rewarding the labor of particular groups of people. It was established in the Old World during the Roman period and used also after the Christian re-conquest of Muslim territory. This labor system was applied on a very much larger scale during the formation of the cities in the New World and the Philippines. Conquered people were considered vasssals of the Crown and the awarding of an "encomienda" was grant from the crown to a particular individual. The grants were considered to be a monopoly on the labor of particular Andean people, held in perpetuity by the grant holder, called the "encomendero," and his descendants. In many cases natives were forced to do very hard labor in the highest parts of the Andes and subjected to extreme punishment and death if they resisted.
During the Inca times, "mita"( a ritualistic form of labor) was mandatory public service. It was a tribute to the forces of nature governing the spiritual energy of the land. The public service required was in a community-driven projects such as the building of their extensive road network beneficial to the community itself and others communities of Andean people. Military service was also mandatory and controlled by sacred and ritualistic laws. Also all citizens who could perform labor were required to do so for a set numbers of days out of a year. Actually the very basic meaning of the word "mita" in the Andean language is a "regular turn" or "a season."
The Incas elaborated creatively on a ancient preexisting system of not only the "mita" exchange of labor but also the exchange of the energy belonging to the objects of religious veneration of the peoples whom they took into their empire. The exchange ensured proper compliance among conquered people.
In this instance Huacas and Pacarinas became significant centers of shared worship and a point of unification of their ethnically and linguistically diverse empire, bringing unity and citizenship to often geographically disparate zones and its people. This led eventually to a system of pilgrimages throughout all these various shrines by the Andean people of the empire prior to the introduction of the European way of Christianity practiced in the Old World.
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
ATAHUALPA.
Atahualpa was the 13th and last ruler of the Tahuantinsuyo, or Inca empire, that covered present-day Bolivia, Peru, and parts of Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, and Colombia.
Atahualpa was born in Quito, present day capital of Ecuador, and was one of the younger and favorite son among the sons of the Inca ruler, Huayna Capac. Her mother was an Ecuadorian princess, and concubine of the Inca ruler. Atahualpa was not a legitimate heir.
The Incas were only permitted to marry their sisters, because no one else was noble enough to sustain the power invested only in the Inca line of emperors. A lack of harmony would arise if the heir was not from the noble blood putting the whole empire in jeopardy.
Huayna Capac died, before his time, from an infectious disease thought to be malaria or smallpox, brought to the Inca land by the europeans. No one knows if the infectious disease was brought to the land on purpose since it was the method that the Europeans used to fight their wars.
After Huayna Capac death, the heir to the throne also died, forcing the empire to be divided between the brothers Atahualpa and Huascar. Atahualpa ruled the Northern region while his brother Huascar ruled the Southern region.
Since Atahualpa was not from the sacred line, he acted solely in his own will without been backed up by the noble class. Then, Atahualpa waged a bloody civil war against his own brother, Huascar, that caused severe distrust and division in the Inca empire. He later had Huascar murdered to ensure that he no longer was a threat to him.
The european invaders later exploited the division of power and the spread of the infectious diseases among the andean people to their own benefit since they became immune to the virus making the situation worse.
Atahualpa saw how enamored the europeans were of gold and silver and he is best known for providing a room full of gold and silver as his ransom when the foreign invaders captured him using the help of Huascar followers to provoke more confusion, though they still executed him.
Cultural destruction followed on a large scale, replacing it with a system with no respect for the land.
Under the Incas, consumption and food production had been carefully balanced, with everyone contributing to the good of the community and everyone receiving enough.
Atahualpa was born in Quito, present day capital of Ecuador, and was one of the younger and favorite son among the sons of the Inca ruler, Huayna Capac. Her mother was an Ecuadorian princess, and concubine of the Inca ruler. Atahualpa was not a legitimate heir.
The Incas were only permitted to marry their sisters, because no one else was noble enough to sustain the power invested only in the Inca line of emperors. A lack of harmony would arise if the heir was not from the noble blood putting the whole empire in jeopardy.
Huayna Capac died, before his time, from an infectious disease thought to be malaria or smallpox, brought to the Inca land by the europeans. No one knows if the infectious disease was brought to the land on purpose since it was the method that the Europeans used to fight their wars.
After Huayna Capac death, the heir to the throne also died, forcing the empire to be divided between the brothers Atahualpa and Huascar. Atahualpa ruled the Northern region while his brother Huascar ruled the Southern region.
Since Atahualpa was not from the sacred line, he acted solely in his own will without been backed up by the noble class. Then, Atahualpa waged a bloody civil war against his own brother, Huascar, that caused severe distrust and division in the Inca empire. He later had Huascar murdered to ensure that he no longer was a threat to him.
The european invaders later exploited the division of power and the spread of the infectious diseases among the andean people to their own benefit since they became immune to the virus making the situation worse.
Atahualpa saw how enamored the europeans were of gold and silver and he is best known for providing a room full of gold and silver as his ransom when the foreign invaders captured him using the help of Huascar followers to provoke more confusion, though they still executed him.
Cultural destruction followed on a large scale, replacing it with a system with no respect for the land.
Under the Incas, consumption and food production had been carefully balanced, with everyone contributing to the good of the community and everyone receiving enough.
Sunday, August 20, 2017
MAMA QUILLA, THE MOTHER MOON.
The Inca culture of Western South America were a very advanced, wealthy culture with sophisticated record-keeping, astronomy and art. The Inca had a very complex religion that incorporated many aspects of the sky and nature. The Inca had a pantheon of major gods who had an individual personalities and duties and one of their most important deities was Mama Quilla, the moon.
Mama Quilla was known as "Mother Moon"and was generally the 3rd deity in the Inca pantheon, after the god of the sun, Inti, and the god of thunder, Illapu. However, she was viewed as more important than Inti by some coastal communities, including by the Chimu. Relatives of Mama Quilla include her husband Inti, and her children Manco Capac, first ruler of the Incas, and Mama Ocllo, his sister and wife.
Mama Quilla was venerated because of her admirable beauty and the benefits she bestows upon the world.
Mama Quilla was important for calculating the passage of time and the calendar, because many rituals were based upon the lunar calendar and adjusted to match the solar year.
The Incas could not predict solar or lunar eclipses and when one occurred, it tend to trouble them greatly. The priests and priestesses would attempt to figure out why the gods were diepleased, and sacrifices would be offered. The Inca rarely practiced human sacrifice, but an eclipse sometimes was considered a deep cause to do so. The reigning Inca would fast for days after an eclipse and would fear lunar eclipses as they believed that during the eclipse, an animal, usually the jaguar, was attacking Mama Quilla. Consequently, they would attempt to scare away the animal by beating their dogs to make them howl and bark, or by throwing weapons, or by gesturing and making as much noise as possible. They believed that if the jaguar achieved its aim, then the world would be left in complete darkness, letting the jaguar crash to Earth to eat its people. The jaguar's assault explained the rusty or blood-red color that the moon often turned during a total lunar eclipse.
Mama Quilla had her own temple in Cuzco, served by priestesses dedicated to her. She was imagined as a human female, and images of her included a silver disc covering an entire wall. She was also believed to cry tears of silver.
Mama Quilla was known as "Mother Moon"and was generally the 3rd deity in the Inca pantheon, after the god of the sun, Inti, and the god of thunder, Illapu. However, she was viewed as more important than Inti by some coastal communities, including by the Chimu. Relatives of Mama Quilla include her husband Inti, and her children Manco Capac, first ruler of the Incas, and Mama Ocllo, his sister and wife.
Mama Quilla was venerated because of her admirable beauty and the benefits she bestows upon the world.
Mama Quilla was important for calculating the passage of time and the calendar, because many rituals were based upon the lunar calendar and adjusted to match the solar year.
The Incas could not predict solar or lunar eclipses and when one occurred, it tend to trouble them greatly. The priests and priestesses would attempt to figure out why the gods were diepleased, and sacrifices would be offered. The Inca rarely practiced human sacrifice, but an eclipse sometimes was considered a deep cause to do so. The reigning Inca would fast for days after an eclipse and would fear lunar eclipses as they believed that during the eclipse, an animal, usually the jaguar, was attacking Mama Quilla. Consequently, they would attempt to scare away the animal by beating their dogs to make them howl and bark, or by throwing weapons, or by gesturing and making as much noise as possible. They believed that if the jaguar achieved its aim, then the world would be left in complete darkness, letting the jaguar crash to Earth to eat its people. The jaguar's assault explained the rusty or blood-red color that the moon often turned during a total lunar eclipse.
Mama Quilla had her own temple in Cuzco, served by priestesses dedicated to her. She was imagined as a human female, and images of her included a silver disc covering an entire wall. She was also believed to cry tears of silver.
THE VIRGINS OF THE SUN.
The Inca Empire adopted from earlier cultures several religious institutions to manage the union of the people in the territory it ruled. Among these institutions were the aclla.
Each year a select group of girls called "Virgins of the Sun"(Acllakunas) were chosen by the Inca government representatives, called Apu-Panaca. They collected girls 8 to 10 years old from the provinces and were taken from their families and lived in special dwellings to be prepared for the highest honor -to serve the Sun. The girls selected weren't of noble birth, instead they were village girls gifted with a special beauty reflected from the inside out and their talents radiated naturally. The girls were sent for training in provincial centers to live together in complexes of buildings called acllawasi (house of the chosen women) which were big enough to house up to 200 women in residence.
The girls were trained for about 4 years in religion, spinning and weaving, preparation of sacred food, and brewing chicha. They they became temple priestesses (mamacunas) to become the brides of special soldiers who had distinguished themselves in combat, or maidens in state shrines performing their assigned religious duties. In this case they lived celibate lives, serving the Creator God (Viracocha) in their physical manifestation of live.
The most skilled and physically perfect mamacuna were sent to Cuzco, the capital of the empire, and became the secondary wife or concubine of the Inca and other noblemen. A few were destined to cross over to the world of the dead in a religious ceremony called Capacocha to carry messages to the noblemen already there.
The Capacocha was a solemn sacrifice or royal obligation in which the Inca sent the best representative in order to ensure that humanity's best were sent to join their deities and deliver their messages. The ceremony took place under several circumstances fulfilling religious and political goals and were usually not done in the region from which they originated. It was often associated with high-altitude occurrences at the tops of the Andean mountains. Over 100 ceremonial centers and shrines were built within Inca territories on or near the high summits of the highest mountains. Some mountains were viewed as home to important mountain deities. The ceremonies at these important locations held a great deal of weight.
At the time of the European invasion in the early 16th century, the Virgins numbered several thousand and were governed by a high priestess, the Coya Pasca, a noble woman of royal blood who was the earthly receptor of a very special energy given by the Creator god, Viracocha.
Each year a select group of girls called "Virgins of the Sun"(Acllakunas) were chosen by the Inca government representatives, called Apu-Panaca. They collected girls 8 to 10 years old from the provinces and were taken from their families and lived in special dwellings to be prepared for the highest honor -to serve the Sun. The girls selected weren't of noble birth, instead they were village girls gifted with a special beauty reflected from the inside out and their talents radiated naturally. The girls were sent for training in provincial centers to live together in complexes of buildings called acllawasi (house of the chosen women) which were big enough to house up to 200 women in residence.
The girls were trained for about 4 years in religion, spinning and weaving, preparation of sacred food, and brewing chicha. They they became temple priestesses (mamacunas) to become the brides of special soldiers who had distinguished themselves in combat, or maidens in state shrines performing their assigned religious duties. In this case they lived celibate lives, serving the Creator God (Viracocha) in their physical manifestation of live.
The most skilled and physically perfect mamacuna were sent to Cuzco, the capital of the empire, and became the secondary wife or concubine of the Inca and other noblemen. A few were destined to cross over to the world of the dead in a religious ceremony called Capacocha to carry messages to the noblemen already there.
The Capacocha was a solemn sacrifice or royal obligation in which the Inca sent the best representative in order to ensure that humanity's best were sent to join their deities and deliver their messages. The ceremony took place under several circumstances fulfilling religious and political goals and were usually not done in the region from which they originated. It was often associated with high-altitude occurrences at the tops of the Andean mountains. Over 100 ceremonial centers and shrines were built within Inca territories on or near the high summits of the highest mountains. Some mountains were viewed as home to important mountain deities. The ceremonies at these important locations held a great deal of weight.
At the time of the European invasion in the early 16th century, the Virgins numbered several thousand and were governed by a high priestess, the Coya Pasca, a noble woman of royal blood who was the earthly receptor of a very special energy given by the Creator god, Viracocha.
Friday, July 28, 2017
THE PORT OF CALLAO.
The Port of Callao is Peru's main commercial seaport. The city is also called Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao region.
The origin of its name is unknown; but it is certain that it was known by that name since 1550. After the Battle of Ayacucho (December 9th, 1824) that sealed the Independence of Peru, Europeans made futile attempts to retain its former colonies, such as the siege of Callao (1826). On August 20, 1836, during the Peru-Bolivian Confederacy (1836-39), a political entity created by the 7th President of Peru, Andres de Santa Cruz y Calahumana, mandated the creation of the Callao Littoral Province, which had political autonomy in its internal affairs. He was a son of a Spaniard and an Indian leader (cacique) of an andean group of the town of Huarina. During the government of President Ramon Castilla (1845-51), Callao was given the name of Constitutional Province, on April 22, 1857. All of the other Peruvian provinces had been given their names by law, while Callao obtained it by constitutional mandate. Callao was never part of the Lima Department nor of any other departments. It is known by the nickname of "Pearl from the Pacific."
On October 28, 1746, a tsunami caused by the 1746 Lima-Callao earthquake destroyed the entire Callao and everything else along the central Peruvian coast from Chancay in the North to Canete in the South. It reached the coast half an hour following the shock. Callao was inundated and its walls destroyed, killing most of the 6,000 inhabitants, leaving less than 200 survivors. Eyewitness accounts indicate 2 waves, the first of which was up to 24m/80ft high. Other particular tsunamis have occurred in 1586, 1604, and 1868.
The 1746 earthquake is interpreted to be a mega-thrust earthquake occurring at subduction zones where one tectonic plate is forced underneath another. They are the planet's most powerful ones.
The earthquake occurred at 22:30 local time with a moment magnitude of 8.6-8.8 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of 11 (extreme). The epicenter was located about 90km/56mi North- NorthWest of Lima, and in 3-4 minutes, the capital city was almost completely destroyed. All offices and all 74 churches were either damaged or destroyed leaving just 25 of the original 3,000 houses standing. The earthquake was felt up to 750 km away. There were at least 200 aftershocks observed in the first 24 hours after the main shock, out of a total of 1,700 recorded in the following 112 days, although they caused no further casualties. It was the deadliest earthquake in Peru's history.
The Constitutional Province of Callao borders Lima Province on the North, East and South, and the Pacific Ocean on the West. It lies South of the Rimac at the tip of a peninsula protected by the offshore island of San Lorenzo and a promontory. It has one of South America's few good natural harbors on the Pacific Ocean.
The Port of Callao exports mainly refined metals, mineral, fish meal, and fish oil. Its principal imports are wheat, lumber, and machinery.
The Port of Callao is home to a wide range of industries that include breweries, fish meal factories, and shipbuilding yards. It is also home to a large naval base and the Jorge Chavez International Airport.
The Port of Callao supports a large colony of sea lions and seabirds in its several islands (San Lorenzo,
The Fronton, the Cavinzas Islands and Palomino Islands) in a relatively pristine ecosystem.
The Port of Callao was founded by Spanish colonists in 1537, just 2 years after Lima (1535), the country's capital city. It soon became the main port for European commerce in the Pacific. Virtually all goods produced in Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina were carried over the Andes by mule to the Port of Callao, especially gold, silver and precious metals, to be shipped to Panama, carried overland, and then transported on to Europe via Cuba.
The Battle of Callao (Combate del 2 de Mayo) occurred on May 2, 1866 between a Spanish fleet and the fortified battery emplacements of the port city. The battle was seen as a victory on the Spanish side and on the part of Peru it was declared as a Feast Day forever. The damages caused to Callao were barely noticeable. The Peruvian batteries occupied the Spanish squad so much that there was no time to bombard the city. Peace was not signed until 1879.
Residents of Callao are known as "Chalacos."
The origin of its name is unknown; but it is certain that it was known by that name since 1550. After the Battle of Ayacucho (December 9th, 1824) that sealed the Independence of Peru, Europeans made futile attempts to retain its former colonies, such as the siege of Callao (1826). On August 20, 1836, during the Peru-Bolivian Confederacy (1836-39), a political entity created by the 7th President of Peru, Andres de Santa Cruz y Calahumana, mandated the creation of the Callao Littoral Province, which had political autonomy in its internal affairs. He was a son of a Spaniard and an Indian leader (cacique) of an andean group of the town of Huarina. During the government of President Ramon Castilla (1845-51), Callao was given the name of Constitutional Province, on April 22, 1857. All of the other Peruvian provinces had been given their names by law, while Callao obtained it by constitutional mandate. Callao was never part of the Lima Department nor of any other departments. It is known by the nickname of "Pearl from the Pacific."
On October 28, 1746, a tsunami caused by the 1746 Lima-Callao earthquake destroyed the entire Callao and everything else along the central Peruvian coast from Chancay in the North to Canete in the South. It reached the coast half an hour following the shock. Callao was inundated and its walls destroyed, killing most of the 6,000 inhabitants, leaving less than 200 survivors. Eyewitness accounts indicate 2 waves, the first of which was up to 24m/80ft high. Other particular tsunamis have occurred in 1586, 1604, and 1868.
The 1746 earthquake is interpreted to be a mega-thrust earthquake occurring at subduction zones where one tectonic plate is forced underneath another. They are the planet's most powerful ones.
The earthquake occurred at 22:30 local time with a moment magnitude of 8.6-8.8 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of 11 (extreme). The epicenter was located about 90km/56mi North- NorthWest of Lima, and in 3-4 minutes, the capital city was almost completely destroyed. All offices and all 74 churches were either damaged or destroyed leaving just 25 of the original 3,000 houses standing. The earthquake was felt up to 750 km away. There were at least 200 aftershocks observed in the first 24 hours after the main shock, out of a total of 1,700 recorded in the following 112 days, although they caused no further casualties. It was the deadliest earthquake in Peru's history.
The Constitutional Province of Callao borders Lima Province on the North, East and South, and the Pacific Ocean on the West. It lies South of the Rimac at the tip of a peninsula protected by the offshore island of San Lorenzo and a promontory. It has one of South America's few good natural harbors on the Pacific Ocean.
The Port of Callao exports mainly refined metals, mineral, fish meal, and fish oil. Its principal imports are wheat, lumber, and machinery.
The Port of Callao is home to a wide range of industries that include breweries, fish meal factories, and shipbuilding yards. It is also home to a large naval base and the Jorge Chavez International Airport.
The Port of Callao supports a large colony of sea lions and seabirds in its several islands (San Lorenzo,
The Fronton, the Cavinzas Islands and Palomino Islands) in a relatively pristine ecosystem.
The Port of Callao was founded by Spanish colonists in 1537, just 2 years after Lima (1535), the country's capital city. It soon became the main port for European commerce in the Pacific. Virtually all goods produced in Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina were carried over the Andes by mule to the Port of Callao, especially gold, silver and precious metals, to be shipped to Panama, carried overland, and then transported on to Europe via Cuba.
The Battle of Callao (Combate del 2 de Mayo) occurred on May 2, 1866 between a Spanish fleet and the fortified battery emplacements of the port city. The battle was seen as a victory on the Spanish side and on the part of Peru it was declared as a Feast Day forever. The damages caused to Callao were barely noticeable. The Peruvian batteries occupied the Spanish squad so much that there was no time to bombard the city. Peace was not signed until 1879.
Residents of Callao are known as "Chalacos."
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
THE SACRED PURPLE CORN OF THE ANDES
Purple corn grows only in the High Mountains of Peru and along its coastlines. Being there on mountains tops suffering the burning heat of the sun's UV rays, and along the coasts where strong winds and salty breeze are predominant, the purple corn have fought to survive for generations, by producing more antioxidants, transforming itsellf into a powerful corn, deep purple in color (thus its rich antioxidants), and all thanks to the Creator God.
The purple color is due to, first, the rich anthocyanin count in the plant that is responsible for the deep color and second, the location from where the plant grows. There is nothing like its anthocyanin count in the world. Anthocyanins are molecules that have the ability to improve everything from cardiovascular health to collagen regeneration. You may have purple corn growing in your locality but it does not have the 16.4 mg per gram count that the mountain and coastline corns from Peru have.
There is nothing like its rich fruity flavor which is like a mix of sweet grapes, peaches, kiwi, and prune juice. For thousand of years, the people of the Andes have prepared the beverage on daily basis. It is a nutritive powerhouse due to its extremely high antioxidant content.
The kernels of the purple corn have to be separated from the cob and the cob has to be cut in pieces. Then they are soaked in hot water and boiled with chunks of quince, pineapple peel, cinnamon, and cloves. After 2 hours of boiling in very slow heat the whole mixture is left to cool overnight with the lid on and then refrigerated for a day or couple of days to yield a deep purple color and flavor. Then the mixture is passed through a powerful strainer and the beverage is mixed with lime juice and honey.
The ancient people of the Andes had the maize as a primary component in their diet. especially in the Northern region, an area of remarkable cultural fluorescence in the 3rd millennium BC. Microscopic evidence found in soil and on stone tools proved that corn was indeed a primary component in their diet. It also shows quite clearly that the very earliest emergence of civilization in the Andes was indeed based on agriculture.
Then their knowledge were deeper and deeper and the level of agriculture that they reached during the time of the Incas was unique and surpassed by far the level found in the outside World. It is shown in the ancient city of Machu Picchu, that sits in a Valley between two peaks in the Andes. The European invaders failed to find this intricately engineered "lost city" of the Incas. It wasn't discovered until 1911 when an Andean guide brought a Yale professor up the mountains to see this amazing achievement, with over 700 agricultural terraces fed by an extensive irrigation system -all created without iron, steel or wheels!
The purple color is due to, first, the rich anthocyanin count in the plant that is responsible for the deep color and second, the location from where the plant grows. There is nothing like its anthocyanin count in the world. Anthocyanins are molecules that have the ability to improve everything from cardiovascular health to collagen regeneration. You may have purple corn growing in your locality but it does not have the 16.4 mg per gram count that the mountain and coastline corns from Peru have.
There is nothing like its rich fruity flavor which is like a mix of sweet grapes, peaches, kiwi, and prune juice. For thousand of years, the people of the Andes have prepared the beverage on daily basis. It is a nutritive powerhouse due to its extremely high antioxidant content.
The kernels of the purple corn have to be separated from the cob and the cob has to be cut in pieces. Then they are soaked in hot water and boiled with chunks of quince, pineapple peel, cinnamon, and cloves. After 2 hours of boiling in very slow heat the whole mixture is left to cool overnight with the lid on and then refrigerated for a day or couple of days to yield a deep purple color and flavor. Then the mixture is passed through a powerful strainer and the beverage is mixed with lime juice and honey.
The ancient people of the Andes had the maize as a primary component in their diet. especially in the Northern region, an area of remarkable cultural fluorescence in the 3rd millennium BC. Microscopic evidence found in soil and on stone tools proved that corn was indeed a primary component in their diet. It also shows quite clearly that the very earliest emergence of civilization in the Andes was indeed based on agriculture.
Then their knowledge were deeper and deeper and the level of agriculture that they reached during the time of the Incas was unique and surpassed by far the level found in the outside World. It is shown in the ancient city of Machu Picchu, that sits in a Valley between two peaks in the Andes. The European invaders failed to find this intricately engineered "lost city" of the Incas. It wasn't discovered until 1911 when an Andean guide brought a Yale professor up the mountains to see this amazing achievement, with over 700 agricultural terraces fed by an extensive irrigation system -all created without iron, steel or wheels!
Monday, July 24, 2017
THE BELIEFS OF THE ANDEAN PEOPLE.
The ancient people of the Andes placed a great importance on astronomy. They were the only ones in the world to define constellations of both Light and Darkness. They not only identified constellations and individual stars, but they also assigned each a purpose.
The Andean people of today still believe that everything in and around our world is connected, and that is the main reason why worship is very important to them. It managed to survive the European invasion period and the colonial era.
The ancient Andean people had a very complicated form of religion, closely linked to astronomy. They not only studied individual stars, but also grouped stars into constellations. In general, the sky was very important to them and had a very special meaning that impacted day to day life. The most crucial events generally involved the rising and setting of the sun, moon, and stars, due to the importance of the powerful synthetic principle underlying the perception and ordering of objects in the physical environment. Agriculture was treated as a sacred thing since survival in the harsh environment of the Andean Mountains was a privilege for the communities who won the sacred test.
Cuzco for example lies on a radial plan, mimicking the sky and pointing to specific astronomical events on the horizon. The sky-ground correspondence is supported by the carefully design and construction of pillars on mountains and hills that overlook Cuzco. They received the information where they had to plant at a very specific altitude when the Sun rose or set between those pillars. The distance between two anchor points had the function of a base unit for astronomical alignments and also turned the Sacred Rivers into a tangible map of time.
The Incas worshiped the Creator God (Vitracocha), the Sun (Inti), and the Thunder (Chuquilla), among others. Both the moon and the sun were seen by the Incas, as entities able to hold an extraordinary source of power and for that reason they built extravagant pillars and temples with great precision so that these heavenly bodies would pass over the structures or through the windows on specific days, like the summer solstice. They also worshiped the spirits that were believed to inhabit any remarkable phenomenon (Huaca), including large boulders, trees, streams or waterfalls.
Upon looking at the stars, the Incas noticed many animals and things from their day to day lives. They believed that the Creator God (Viracocha) had ensured that each animal or bird had a corresponding star (specific energy) and that all living things would be protected.
The snake, for example, has the same cycle in the sky compared to the ones on earth, and both live in harmony, alongside the other celestial animals. This is contrary to traditional Western constellations, where various images (i.e. Scorpion, Scale, Fish, etc.) have no interaction with each other or things happening on earth.
The Incas sorted the constellations into two groups:
-The first type considered inanimate, were groupings of stars that are linked in a connect-the-dots manner to create pictures of animals, heroes and more. One star grouping known as Pleiades was specially believed to be very influential over the well-being of animals. It was not seen as a god, but rather as a Huaca to which the Shamans would make regular sacrifices.
-The second type could only be observed when there were no stars. They were the dark spots or blotches on the Milky Way, and were considered as living (animate) animals. The animals were believed to live in the Milky Way, which they thought of as a River.
The Incas were one of the very few civilizations who were able to locate their constellations without the presence of stars.
The Andean people of today still believe that everything in and around our world is connected, and that is the main reason why worship is very important to them. It managed to survive the European invasion period and the colonial era.
The ancient Andean people had a very complicated form of religion, closely linked to astronomy. They not only studied individual stars, but also grouped stars into constellations. In general, the sky was very important to them and had a very special meaning that impacted day to day life. The most crucial events generally involved the rising and setting of the sun, moon, and stars, due to the importance of the powerful synthetic principle underlying the perception and ordering of objects in the physical environment. Agriculture was treated as a sacred thing since survival in the harsh environment of the Andean Mountains was a privilege for the communities who won the sacred test.
Cuzco for example lies on a radial plan, mimicking the sky and pointing to specific astronomical events on the horizon. The sky-ground correspondence is supported by the carefully design and construction of pillars on mountains and hills that overlook Cuzco. They received the information where they had to plant at a very specific altitude when the Sun rose or set between those pillars. The distance between two anchor points had the function of a base unit for astronomical alignments and also turned the Sacred Rivers into a tangible map of time.
The Incas worshiped the Creator God (Vitracocha), the Sun (Inti), and the Thunder (Chuquilla), among others. Both the moon and the sun were seen by the Incas, as entities able to hold an extraordinary source of power and for that reason they built extravagant pillars and temples with great precision so that these heavenly bodies would pass over the structures or through the windows on specific days, like the summer solstice. They also worshiped the spirits that were believed to inhabit any remarkable phenomenon (Huaca), including large boulders, trees, streams or waterfalls.
Upon looking at the stars, the Incas noticed many animals and things from their day to day lives. They believed that the Creator God (Viracocha) had ensured that each animal or bird had a corresponding star (specific energy) and that all living things would be protected.
The snake, for example, has the same cycle in the sky compared to the ones on earth, and both live in harmony, alongside the other celestial animals. This is contrary to traditional Western constellations, where various images (i.e. Scorpion, Scale, Fish, etc.) have no interaction with each other or things happening on earth.
The Incas sorted the constellations into two groups:
-The first type considered inanimate, were groupings of stars that are linked in a connect-the-dots manner to create pictures of animals, heroes and more. One star grouping known as Pleiades was specially believed to be very influential over the well-being of animals. It was not seen as a god, but rather as a Huaca to which the Shamans would make regular sacrifices.
-The second type could only be observed when there were no stars. They were the dark spots or blotches on the Milky Way, and were considered as living (animate) animals. The animals were believed to live in the Milky Way, which they thought of as a River.
The Incas were one of the very few civilizations who were able to locate their constellations without the presence of stars.
Sunday, July 23, 2017
THE COTAHUASI CANYON.
The Cotahuasi Canyon near the city of Arequipa in Peru is the deepest canyon in the world. It is an impressive chasm that the River has eroded between two enormous mountain massifs: the Coropuna and the Solimana. One extends from spurs of the snow-covered Solimana to the confluence with the Ocona River. The Canyon was cut by the Cotahuasi River, a tributary of the Rio Ocona, to a depth of approximately 3,354m.
Coropuna is a dormant volcano in the Southern Andes, 155km/96mi from Arequipa and belongs to the Central Volcanic Zone that extends from Peru to Chile and forms the western boundary of the Andean Plateau. Its summit reaches an altitude of 6,377m/20,922ft above sea level. It has been active for at least 5 million years, with the bulk of the current cone having formed during the Pilocene-Pleistocene in the geological time-scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58 million years ago. The thick ice cap that covers the volcano, 2nd largest in the tropics, has undergone several phases of expansion and reduction. As of 2016, the ice cap is in retreat and it will disappear by 2045, threatening the water supply of ten thousands of people. The interaction between volcanic activity and glacial effects has generated mud flows that could be a hazard to surrounding populations if the mountain returns to volcanic activity.
The mountain was considered sacred by the Inca, and a number of archaeological sites have been discovered there. The Inca built the highest irrigation system in the world on the Coropuna.
Solimana is a volcanic massif about 6,093m/19,990ft above sea level. It lies North West of Coropuna.
The Cotahuasi Canyon is formed by the Cotahuasi River, arising at more than 4,750m/15,580ft above sea level in the Lake Wansuqucha. It receives the tributaries of the Wayllapana River in the neighboring Pampamarka to the North, and the Huarcaya near Tumipampa to the West, and is later joined by the Maran River to form the Ocona River (Chaucalla Village) that ends at the Pacific Ocean.
Cotahuasi Province is located at the highest Andean point of Arequipa. It is characterized by its steep relief: incised by rivers and gullies, ranging between 1,000 and 6093 meters, with 19 ecological zones.
The altitude and remoteness of this region has contributed that its residents have retained many of the practices that are now no longer common in neighboring regions. The only road leading to the Canyon goes through Chuquibamba in the Condesuyos Province, then Aplao in Castilla Province. It begins on the Panamerican Highway near Arequipa. The drive is 10-12 hours long on a road which is unpaved after Chuquibamba. It also goes quite high, through a 4,500m pass between Coropuna and Solimana.
The difficult topographic conditions have generated specific landscapes like agricultural terraces. The landscapes are quite many, from the rivers at the bottom of the Canyon to the cold desert areas of the summits. It produces kiwicha, quinoa, mint, purple corn, llacon, fava, oca, beans, arveja, chulpi maize, anise, tarwi. Medicinal plants like muna, retama, tara, coca, jara (malva sylvestris), ruda, yareta. These products are meant to give priority to food supplies to the province, therefore, very little is produced for export. ood autonomy is reached thanks to ancient techniques, rational use of water, promotion of improved seeds, conservation of bio-diversity and complementary livestock breeding.
There are also a number of Inca and pre-Inca works including many agricultural terraces still in use today.
Coropuna is a dormant volcano in the Southern Andes, 155km/96mi from Arequipa and belongs to the Central Volcanic Zone that extends from Peru to Chile and forms the western boundary of the Andean Plateau. Its summit reaches an altitude of 6,377m/20,922ft above sea level. It has been active for at least 5 million years, with the bulk of the current cone having formed during the Pilocene-Pleistocene in the geological time-scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58 million years ago. The thick ice cap that covers the volcano, 2nd largest in the tropics, has undergone several phases of expansion and reduction. As of 2016, the ice cap is in retreat and it will disappear by 2045, threatening the water supply of ten thousands of people. The interaction between volcanic activity and glacial effects has generated mud flows that could be a hazard to surrounding populations if the mountain returns to volcanic activity.
The mountain was considered sacred by the Inca, and a number of archaeological sites have been discovered there. The Inca built the highest irrigation system in the world on the Coropuna.
Solimana is a volcanic massif about 6,093m/19,990ft above sea level. It lies North West of Coropuna.
The Cotahuasi Canyon is formed by the Cotahuasi River, arising at more than 4,750m/15,580ft above sea level in the Lake Wansuqucha. It receives the tributaries of the Wayllapana River in the neighboring Pampamarka to the North, and the Huarcaya near Tumipampa to the West, and is later joined by the Maran River to form the Ocona River (Chaucalla Village) that ends at the Pacific Ocean.
Cotahuasi Province is located at the highest Andean point of Arequipa. It is characterized by its steep relief: incised by rivers and gullies, ranging between 1,000 and 6093 meters, with 19 ecological zones.
The altitude and remoteness of this region has contributed that its residents have retained many of the practices that are now no longer common in neighboring regions. The only road leading to the Canyon goes through Chuquibamba in the Condesuyos Province, then Aplao in Castilla Province. It begins on the Panamerican Highway near Arequipa. The drive is 10-12 hours long on a road which is unpaved after Chuquibamba. It also goes quite high, through a 4,500m pass between Coropuna and Solimana.
The difficult topographic conditions have generated specific landscapes like agricultural terraces. The landscapes are quite many, from the rivers at the bottom of the Canyon to the cold desert areas of the summits. It produces kiwicha, quinoa, mint, purple corn, llacon, fava, oca, beans, arveja, chulpi maize, anise, tarwi. Medicinal plants like muna, retama, tara, coca, jara (malva sylvestris), ruda, yareta. These products are meant to give priority to food supplies to the province, therefore, very little is produced for export. ood autonomy is reached thanks to ancient techniques, rational use of water, promotion of improved seeds, conservation of bio-diversity and complementary livestock breeding.
There are also a number of Inca and pre-Inca works including many agricultural terraces still in use today.
Saturday, July 22, 2017
THE CONVENT OF SAN FRANCISCO.
The Church and Convent of San Francisco is located in downtown Lima, Peru, South of the Wall Park (Parque la Muralla) and block North East from the Major Plaza (Plaza Mayor).
The construction of the Church and Convent began in 1673 and completed in 1774. Though it survived the 1687 and 1746 earthquakes, it suffered extensive damage in the 1970 earthquake.
The Church is noted for its architecture, a high example of Baroque art, and features an Islamic inspired Dome carved in wood. The vaults of the central and two side naves are painted in a mix of Moorish and Spanish designs. The main altar is totally made from wood. The halls of the head cloister are inlaid with Sevillian glazed tiles dating from the 1620s.
The complex is made of the Temple, the Convent and two other churches, "The Solitude" (La Soledad) and "The Miracle" (El Milagro).
The Convent's Library is world-renowned. It possesses about 25,000 ancient texts and 13 paintings of the biblical patriarch Jacob and his 12 sons. The paint of the Last Supper depicts typical Peruvian ingredients and meals such as guinea pig, potatoes and chillis. Also peculiar is the Devil hovering besides Judas.
The Convent originally included 7 cloisters : -Main Courtyard, -Bonaventure, -Francis Solanus buried in the convent church, -Pepper Yard, -Infirmary, -Novitiate, and -the 3rd Order. During the works to open Abancay Avenue in 1940, part of the Convent, including Bonaventure's courtyard, was demolished, and the section used by the Franciscan 3rd Order was separated from the Main structure.
It is believed that the 3rd Order of Saint Francis was the oldest of all the 3rd Orders. The Order formed probably in the 12th century. Its purpose is obscure, but some chroniclers said that certain noblemen of Lombardy were taken as captives to Germany by the Emperor Henry V (1081-1125) following a rebellion in the area and after suffering exile for some time, they assumed a sort of penitential garb giving their pledges of future loyalty to the King if they were permitted to return to Lombardy.
Lombardy (Long Beard) as a region, was settled at least since the 2nd millennium BC, as shown by the archaeological findings of ceramics, arrows, axes, and carved stones. Well-preserved rock drawings depicting animals, people and symbols were made over a period of 8,000 years preceding the Iron Age. In the following centuries the area was inhabited by different peoples among whom the Etruscans, who founded the city of Mantua and spread the use of writing; later, starting from the 5h century BC, the area was inhabited by Celtic-Galic Tribes. These people settled in several cities, including Milan, and extended their rule to the Adriatic Sea.
Lombardy was referred during early Middle Ages to the entire territory of Italy, ruled by the Lombards, who conquered much of the Italian Peninsula beginning in the 6th century. Their development was halted by the Roman expansion from the 3rd BC onwards. During and after the Fall of the Roman Empire, Lombardy as a region, suffered heavily by a series of invasions by tribal people. The last and most effective was that of the Germanic Lombards who came around the 570s and whose long-lasting reign, with its capital in Pavia, gave the current name to the region. There was a close relationship between the Frankish, Bavarian, and Lombard nobility for many centuries.
After the decisive Battle of Pavia, the Duchy of Milan became a possession of the House of Habsburg or House of Austria, the most influential royal houses of Europe. The throne of the Holy Roman Empire was continuously occupied by them between 1438 and 1740. The House of Austria also produced emperors and kings of the Kingdom of Bohemia, Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Germany, Kingdom of Hungary, Kingdom of Croatia, Kingdom of Ireland, Kingdom of Portugal, and Habsburg Spain, as well as rulers of several Dutch and Italian principalities.
From the 16th century, following the reign of Charles V, the dynasty was split between its Austria and Spanish branches. Although they ruled distinct territories, they nevertheless maintained close relations and frequently intermarried.
The House took its name from the Habsburg Castle, a medieval fortress built in the 1020s, and located in Habsburg, Switzerland, in the semi-sovereign state (canton) of Aargau, near the Aar River. The Aar is a tributary of the High Rhine and the longest River that both rises and ends entirely within Switzerland.
In 1134, many groups of people assumed a penitential ideology that spread rapidly. It gave rise to 2 new branches of a distinctive form of religious life, a second order composed of women, and third order composed of priests. The order of priests, once formed, claimed precedence over the other branches and on the model of mendicant behavior that allowed them traveling and live in rural areas for purposes of evangelization, such as the Dominicans or the Franciscans, was styled as the "First Order." They gave rise to groups later successfully institutionalized, such as Francis of Assisi's Order of Friars Minor.
The most chilling aspect in the Convent of San Francisco is a series of catacombs built of bricks and mortar, very solid that have stood up well to earthquakes, and served as a burial-place until 1808. The catacombs have on display the bones of more than 25,000 people, members of guilds and brotherhoods. The bones (femurs, tibiae, and craniums) of the members, at least those that are more than 10 meters deep, echo a symbolic and ritualistic intention, and, they are laid out in geometric shapes, especially in mandala patterns, suggesting the metaphysical purpose of all of them. They are suppose to absorb seismic waves.
The catacombs remained secretly for a long time until its re-discovery in 1943. It is believed there existed secret passageways that connected to the city Cathedral and the Tribunal of the Holy Inquisition and other churches through a network of underground tunnels.
The Convent charms the first time visitors from the very second they walk through its gate by its magnificent architecture and its two identical towers. Once they make their way inside, they are continuously amazed by the beautiful carvings, which are so realistic that it is hard to believe that the robes of the saints are actually intricate carvings from the wood that once was a living and breathing tree.
ORIGEN OF PLAZA OF ARMS OF LIMA, PERU.
The Plaza of Arms of Lima is the birthplace of Lima, "City of the Kings,"as well as the core of the city.
Although severely damaged by earthquakes, it was, until the middle of the 18th century, the capital and most important city of the Spanish crown in South America.
Lima was the political, administrative, religious and economic capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru and the most important city of the Spanish crown in South America. It played a leading role in the history of the expansion of Spain as an important source of power from 1542 to the 18th century when the creation of the Viceroyalties of New Granada (1718) and of La Plata (1777) gradually put an end to the power and omnipotence of he Spanish crown on South America.
In 1523, King Charles I (24 February 1500 - 21 September 1558) of Spain mandated the Procedures for the creation of the city, the largest of its type in this part of the world, located in the Rimac Valley. These procedures indicated that after outlining a city's plan on the territories led by the Chiefdom of Rimac, growth should follow a grid centered on the square shape of the plaza.
On the day of the foundation of the city, January 18, 1535, the illegitimate son of an infantry soldier and a woman of poor means, Francisco Pizarro (little attention was paid to his education and he grew up illiterate), conforming to established procedure and purpose, designated a location to build the Plaza. Later parcels were splitted between him and the major. Pizarro, taking advantage of his title of founder and governor, took a large parcel of land between the North side of the plaza and the Rimac River.
The lot of the South of the plaza was designated to be a church, the Western lot was to be the site of a city council, and the rest of the lots were divided among the rest of his people. It was the finest and most well-formed plaza ever seen, even in the land of Spain, occupying an entire block with the width of 4 streets on one side and 4 streets on the other, and with all 4 sides it measured more than 2,000 ft.
The Plaza of Arms is surrounded by the Government Palace, Cathedral of Lima, Archbishop's Palace, the Municipal Palace, and the Palace of the Union. The name of the streets that surround the Plaza are Jiron Junin, Jiron de la Union, Jiron Huallaga, and Jiron Carabaya.
Charles was the heir of 3 of Europe's leading dynasties: the House of Valois-Burgundy (Netherlands), Habsburg (Holy Roman Empire), and Trastamara (Spain). He was the ruler of both the Spanish crown and the Holy Roman Empire from 1519, as well as of the Habsburg Netherlands from 1506.
Charles, as heir of the House of Valois-Burgundy, inherited the Burgundian crown (a number of Imperial and French fiefs that was a central element of feudalism, heritable property of rights granted by an overlord to a vassal who held it as a pledge of alliance or in fee) ruled in personal union by the House of Valois-Burgundy and their Habsburg heirs in the period from 1384 to 1482. The area comprised large parts of present-day Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as Luxembourg and parts of Northern France. Charles also inherited the region named "Free Country"(Franche-Comte) inhabited since the prehistoric period of human history and was occupied by the Gauls. Little touched by the Germanic migrations, it was part of the territory of a confederation of Germanic Tribes on the Upper Rhine River in the 5yh century, then the Kingdom of Burgundy from 457 to 534. It was Christianized through the influence of Columban (Irish: Columban, 543 - 21 November 615) notably for founding a number of monasteries from around 590 in the Frankish and Lombard kingdoms, and a key figure in a series of missions and expeditions initiated by various Irish clerics and cleric-scholars. The name did not appear officially until 1366. It had been a territory of the County of Burgundy from 888, and becoming subject to the Holy Roman Empire in 1034. It was definitively separated from the neighboring Duchy of Burgundy upon its incorporation into the Kingdom of France in 1477.
Charles, from his own dynasty, the Habsburgs, inherited Austria and other lands in Central Europe.
Charles was also elected to succeed his Habsburg grandfather, Maximilian I, as Holy Roman Emperor, a title held by the Habsburgs since 1440.
Charles, from the Spanish House of Trastamara, inherited the crowns of Castile, which was in the process of developing enough power through the conquest of new lands around the world, and Aragon, which included a Mediterranean power through lands extending to Southern Italy.
The House of Trastamara was a dynasty of kings in Spain, which first governed in Castile beginning in 1369 before expanding its rule into Aragon, Navarre and Naples. They were an illegitimate cadet line of the House of Ivrea. They ruled throughout a period of military struggle with Aragon. Their family was sustained with large amounts of inbreeding, which led to a disputed struggles over rightful claims to the Castilian throne. This lineage ultimately ruled in Castile from the rise to power of Henry II in 1369 through the unification of the crowns under Ferdinand of Aragon and isabella of Castile, second cousins, being both descendants from John I of Castile. When they married on October 19, 1469, in the city of Valladolid; Isabella was 18 years old and Ferdinand a year younger, giving birth to an unified Spain. The court was constantly on the move in order to bolster local support fro the crown from local feudal lords. The title of "Catholic King and Queen" was bestowed on them by Pope Alexander VI in 1494, in recognition of their defense of the Catholic faith within their realms. After a number of revolts, they ordered the expulsion from their lands of all Jews and Muslims. People who became Catholic were not subject to expulsion, but between 1480 and 1492 hundreds of those who had converted were accused of secretly practicing their original religion, then arrested, imprisoned, interrogated under torture, and in some cases burned to death, in both Castile and Aragon.
Charles, the eldest son of Philip the Handsome of the House of Habsburg and Joanna of Castile (daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella) was the very first king to rule Castile and Aragon simultaneously in his own right, and as a result he is sometimes referred to as "the first King of Spain." These personal union resulted in the formation of a kind of universal monarchy since the death of Louis the Pious (778-20 June 840), King of the Franks and co-Emperor (as Louis I) with his father, Charlemagne, from 813.
Because of widespread fears that his vast inheritance would lead to the realization of a universal crown creating a European hegemony, Charles was the object of hostility from many enemies. His reign was dominated by war, and particularly by 3 major simultaneous conflicts: the Habsburg-Valois Wars with France fought in Italy, the struggle to halt the Ottoman advance in Hungary and Vienna, and the Protestant Reformation which he opposed resulting in conflict with the German princes. The Castilian and Burgundian territories remained mostly loyal to Charles throughout his rule.
The inclusion of the territories of the New World, the Americas, were the chief source of his power and wealth, and they became increasingly important as his reign progressed. Castilian control was extended across much of South and Central America. The resulting vast invasion and expansion of territory and the flows of gold and silver taken from it had a very profound long term effect on the wealth of his reign. As a result, his domains spanned nearly 4 million square kilometers and were the first to be described as "the empire on which the sun never sets."
Although severely damaged by earthquakes, it was, until the middle of the 18th century, the capital and most important city of the Spanish crown in South America.
Lima was the political, administrative, religious and economic capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru and the most important city of the Spanish crown in South America. It played a leading role in the history of the expansion of Spain as an important source of power from 1542 to the 18th century when the creation of the Viceroyalties of New Granada (1718) and of La Plata (1777) gradually put an end to the power and omnipotence of he Spanish crown on South America.
In 1523, King Charles I (24 February 1500 - 21 September 1558) of Spain mandated the Procedures for the creation of the city, the largest of its type in this part of the world, located in the Rimac Valley. These procedures indicated that after outlining a city's plan on the territories led by the Chiefdom of Rimac, growth should follow a grid centered on the square shape of the plaza.
On the day of the foundation of the city, January 18, 1535, the illegitimate son of an infantry soldier and a woman of poor means, Francisco Pizarro (little attention was paid to his education and he grew up illiterate), conforming to established procedure and purpose, designated a location to build the Plaza. Later parcels were splitted between him and the major. Pizarro, taking advantage of his title of founder and governor, took a large parcel of land between the North side of the plaza and the Rimac River.
The lot of the South of the plaza was designated to be a church, the Western lot was to be the site of a city council, and the rest of the lots were divided among the rest of his people. It was the finest and most well-formed plaza ever seen, even in the land of Spain, occupying an entire block with the width of 4 streets on one side and 4 streets on the other, and with all 4 sides it measured more than 2,000 ft.
The Plaza of Arms is surrounded by the Government Palace, Cathedral of Lima, Archbishop's Palace, the Municipal Palace, and the Palace of the Union. The name of the streets that surround the Plaza are Jiron Junin, Jiron de la Union, Jiron Huallaga, and Jiron Carabaya.
Charles was the heir of 3 of Europe's leading dynasties: the House of Valois-Burgundy (Netherlands), Habsburg (Holy Roman Empire), and Trastamara (Spain). He was the ruler of both the Spanish crown and the Holy Roman Empire from 1519, as well as of the Habsburg Netherlands from 1506.
Charles, as heir of the House of Valois-Burgundy, inherited the Burgundian crown (a number of Imperial and French fiefs that was a central element of feudalism, heritable property of rights granted by an overlord to a vassal who held it as a pledge of alliance or in fee) ruled in personal union by the House of Valois-Burgundy and their Habsburg heirs in the period from 1384 to 1482. The area comprised large parts of present-day Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as Luxembourg and parts of Northern France. Charles also inherited the region named "Free Country"(Franche-Comte) inhabited since the prehistoric period of human history and was occupied by the Gauls. Little touched by the Germanic migrations, it was part of the territory of a confederation of Germanic Tribes on the Upper Rhine River in the 5yh century, then the Kingdom of Burgundy from 457 to 534. It was Christianized through the influence of Columban (Irish: Columban, 543 - 21 November 615) notably for founding a number of monasteries from around 590 in the Frankish and Lombard kingdoms, and a key figure in a series of missions and expeditions initiated by various Irish clerics and cleric-scholars. The name did not appear officially until 1366. It had been a territory of the County of Burgundy from 888, and becoming subject to the Holy Roman Empire in 1034. It was definitively separated from the neighboring Duchy of Burgundy upon its incorporation into the Kingdom of France in 1477.
Charles, from his own dynasty, the Habsburgs, inherited Austria and other lands in Central Europe.
Charles was also elected to succeed his Habsburg grandfather, Maximilian I, as Holy Roman Emperor, a title held by the Habsburgs since 1440.
Charles, from the Spanish House of Trastamara, inherited the crowns of Castile, which was in the process of developing enough power through the conquest of new lands around the world, and Aragon, which included a Mediterranean power through lands extending to Southern Italy.
The House of Trastamara was a dynasty of kings in Spain, which first governed in Castile beginning in 1369 before expanding its rule into Aragon, Navarre and Naples. They were an illegitimate cadet line of the House of Ivrea. They ruled throughout a period of military struggle with Aragon. Their family was sustained with large amounts of inbreeding, which led to a disputed struggles over rightful claims to the Castilian throne. This lineage ultimately ruled in Castile from the rise to power of Henry II in 1369 through the unification of the crowns under Ferdinand of Aragon and isabella of Castile, second cousins, being both descendants from John I of Castile. When they married on October 19, 1469, in the city of Valladolid; Isabella was 18 years old and Ferdinand a year younger, giving birth to an unified Spain. The court was constantly on the move in order to bolster local support fro the crown from local feudal lords. The title of "Catholic King and Queen" was bestowed on them by Pope Alexander VI in 1494, in recognition of their defense of the Catholic faith within their realms. After a number of revolts, they ordered the expulsion from their lands of all Jews and Muslims. People who became Catholic were not subject to expulsion, but between 1480 and 1492 hundreds of those who had converted were accused of secretly practicing their original religion, then arrested, imprisoned, interrogated under torture, and in some cases burned to death, in both Castile and Aragon.
Charles, the eldest son of Philip the Handsome of the House of Habsburg and Joanna of Castile (daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella) was the very first king to rule Castile and Aragon simultaneously in his own right, and as a result he is sometimes referred to as "the first King of Spain." These personal union resulted in the formation of a kind of universal monarchy since the death of Louis the Pious (778-20 June 840), King of the Franks and co-Emperor (as Louis I) with his father, Charlemagne, from 813.
Because of widespread fears that his vast inheritance would lead to the realization of a universal crown creating a European hegemony, Charles was the object of hostility from many enemies. His reign was dominated by war, and particularly by 3 major simultaneous conflicts: the Habsburg-Valois Wars with France fought in Italy, the struggle to halt the Ottoman advance in Hungary and Vienna, and the Protestant Reformation which he opposed resulting in conflict with the German princes. The Castilian and Burgundian territories remained mostly loyal to Charles throughout his rule.
The inclusion of the territories of the New World, the Americas, were the chief source of his power and wealth, and they became increasingly important as his reign progressed. Castilian control was extended across much of South and Central America. The resulting vast invasion and expansion of territory and the flows of gold and silver taken from it had a very profound long term effect on the wealth of his reign. As a result, his domains spanned nearly 4 million square kilometers and were the first to be described as "the empire on which the sun never sets."
Friday, July 21, 2017
THE ANDEAN SNOW FESTIVAL.
Every year, in late May or early June, to coincide with the full moon, one week before the Christian Feast of Corpus Christi, ten of thousands of pilgrims gather at the foot of the mountains Qullqip'unqu (Quechua 'qullqi' is for 'money, silver,' and p'unqu' is for 'pond, reservoir, tank; dam') and Sinaqara in the Andes of Peru, to celebrate the annual religious Snow Star Festival (Quoyllur Riti). The River Sinaqara originates near the mountain and it is tributary of the Tinki-Mayu.
The Qullqip'unqu mountain is about 5,522m/18,117ft high, situated in the Northern extensions of the Vilcanota Mountain Range in Cuzco Region, Peru. The Sinaqara lies South West of the Qullqip'unqu and it is about 5,471m/17,949ft high.
The Festival attracts peasants from the surrounding regions, made up of Paucar-Tambo groups (Quechua speakers) from the agricultural regions to the North West of the church at Sinaqara which is the central place to the pilgrimage and proceedings, and the Quispi-Canchis (Aymara speakers) from pastoral (herders) regions to the South East. Both groups make the annual and sacred pilgrimage to the Feast, bringing large troupes of dancers in multi-layered skirts and musicians with drums and flutes and perform during the 3-Day Festival.
The celebration combines Christian, Inca and other Andean beliefs.
Specifically the participants groups act in 4 particular roles: Chunchu, Qulla, Ukuku, and Machula.
Several processions and dances in and around a shrine are included in the celebration. The culminating event takes place after the reappearance of Qullqa in the night sky, and the rising of the sun after the full moon. The Andean people kneel to greet the first rays of Light as the sun rises above the horizon.
Men dressed as mythical half-man, half-bear creatures (Ukukus) of each community, climb the glaciers and spend the night there. They used to cut blocks of ice from the glacier and return, carrying on their backs huge ice blocks to share with the people of their communities. The waters of the mountain are believed to have sacred healing powers, to heal the mind and the body, but have now stopped, noting a decline in the size of the glaciers because of the global warming trend.
The spectacled bear, also known as the Andean Bear and locally known in Quechua language as "Ukuku"or Aymara language as "Jukumari" is the last remaining short-faced bear of its kind, and the only surviving species of bear native to the Andes Mountains of South America, because of its habitat loss. They are referred as spectacle bears due to the light coloring on their chests, necks, and faces, which resemble eyeglasses in some individuals.
Before spectacled bear populations became fragmented during the last 500 years, the species had a reputation for being adaptable, as it is found in a wide variety of habitats and altitudes, including cloud forests, high-altitude grasslands, dry forests and scrub deserts. The best habitat for them are humid to very humid montane forests. These cloud forests typically occupy a 500 to 1,000m (1,600 to 3,300ft) elevation band between 1,000 and 2,700m/3,300 and 8,900ft depending on latitude. The wetter these forests are the more food species there are that can support bears. Occasionally, they may reach altitudes as low as 250m/820ft, but are not typically found below 1,900m/6,200ft in the foothills. They can even range up to the mountain snow line at over 5,000m/16,000ft in elevation.
The ancient festival celebrates the presence of the Stars, noting the reappearance of the Pleiades star cluster marking the start of harvest season, honoring Jesus Christ, and also honoring the local glacier.
In astronomy, the Pleiades, or 7 Sisters, are an open star cluster containing middle-aged, hot, giant and very luminous bluish stars located in the constellation of Taurus. Pleiades is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and the most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky. Astronomers estimate that the cluster will survive for about another 250 million years, after which it will disperse due to gravitational interactions with its galactic neighborhood. The name comes from Ancient Greek. It derives from the word 'plein' meaning 'to sail' because of the cluster importance in delimiting the sailing season in the Mediterranean Sea. In mythology the name was used for the 7 divine sisters, supposedly deriving from that of their mother Pleione, effectively meaning "daughters of Pleione."
The Qullqip'unqu mountain is about 5,522m/18,117ft high, situated in the Northern extensions of the Vilcanota Mountain Range in Cuzco Region, Peru. The Sinaqara lies South West of the Qullqip'unqu and it is about 5,471m/17,949ft high.
The Festival attracts peasants from the surrounding regions, made up of Paucar-Tambo groups (Quechua speakers) from the agricultural regions to the North West of the church at Sinaqara which is the central place to the pilgrimage and proceedings, and the Quispi-Canchis (Aymara speakers) from pastoral (herders) regions to the South East. Both groups make the annual and sacred pilgrimage to the Feast, bringing large troupes of dancers in multi-layered skirts and musicians with drums and flutes and perform during the 3-Day Festival.
The celebration combines Christian, Inca and other Andean beliefs.
Specifically the participants groups act in 4 particular roles: Chunchu, Qulla, Ukuku, and Machula.
Several processions and dances in and around a shrine are included in the celebration. The culminating event takes place after the reappearance of Qullqa in the night sky, and the rising of the sun after the full moon. The Andean people kneel to greet the first rays of Light as the sun rises above the horizon.
Men dressed as mythical half-man, half-bear creatures (Ukukus) of each community, climb the glaciers and spend the night there. They used to cut blocks of ice from the glacier and return, carrying on their backs huge ice blocks to share with the people of their communities. The waters of the mountain are believed to have sacred healing powers, to heal the mind and the body, but have now stopped, noting a decline in the size of the glaciers because of the global warming trend.
The spectacled bear, also known as the Andean Bear and locally known in Quechua language as "Ukuku"or Aymara language as "Jukumari" is the last remaining short-faced bear of its kind, and the only surviving species of bear native to the Andes Mountains of South America, because of its habitat loss. They are referred as spectacle bears due to the light coloring on their chests, necks, and faces, which resemble eyeglasses in some individuals.
Before spectacled bear populations became fragmented during the last 500 years, the species had a reputation for being adaptable, as it is found in a wide variety of habitats and altitudes, including cloud forests, high-altitude grasslands, dry forests and scrub deserts. The best habitat for them are humid to very humid montane forests. These cloud forests typically occupy a 500 to 1,000m (1,600 to 3,300ft) elevation band between 1,000 and 2,700m/3,300 and 8,900ft depending on latitude. The wetter these forests are the more food species there are that can support bears. Occasionally, they may reach altitudes as low as 250m/820ft, but are not typically found below 1,900m/6,200ft in the foothills. They can even range up to the mountain snow line at over 5,000m/16,000ft in elevation.
The ancient festival celebrates the presence of the Stars, noting the reappearance of the Pleiades star cluster marking the start of harvest season, honoring Jesus Christ, and also honoring the local glacier.
In astronomy, the Pleiades, or 7 Sisters, are an open star cluster containing middle-aged, hot, giant and very luminous bluish stars located in the constellation of Taurus. Pleiades is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and the most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky. Astronomers estimate that the cluster will survive for about another 250 million years, after which it will disperse due to gravitational interactions with its galactic neighborhood. The name comes from Ancient Greek. It derives from the word 'plein' meaning 'to sail' because of the cluster importance in delimiting the sailing season in the Mediterranean Sea. In mythology the name was used for the 7 divine sisters, supposedly deriving from that of their mother Pleione, effectively meaning "daughters of Pleione."
Saturday, July 1, 2017
THE GATE OF THE SUN.
At a height of 3,825m/12,549 ft, lies the ancient city of Tiahuanco, the capital of an ancient empire that was destroyed by immense cataclysms, of with the Sun Gate was one of the few constructions that survived. The nearby Puma Punka site, with its huge stone blocks also clearly fashioned by advanced technology, was another ancient site from that time period.
Tiahuanco extended into present-day Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. Considered by some the oldest city in the World, much of Tiahuanaco's creation defies the laws of physics and mathematics even by today's standards. Many monuments bear close resemblance to those created by other ancient cultures all over the planet. It is truly an overlap if one were to place hologram over hologram, to define the journey of humanity in time.
Tiahuanaco's timeline came and went, leaving behind megalithic monuments that go without explanation as to their mathematical design and construction. It is unknown how old these structures are. Some researchers suggest that Tiahuanaco dated to 15,000 BC, based on his astronomical techniques. More and more people now are accepting the fact that the Earth has had a long and complicated history, with many civilizations, some of them very advanced that came and went, leaving their testimony clearly fashioned by their advanced technology.
Andean legends claim the area around Lake Titicaca was the cradle of the first humans on Earth. Lord Viracocha, the Creator of all things, chose Tiahuanaco as the place of creation.
Tiahuanaco was once a port and it is now about 800 feet above the level of Lake Titicaca. Structures found in the Lake shows that the water level have changed dramatically throughout history.
One ruin still standing in Tiahuanaco is the Gate of the Sun. It is a megalithic solid stone approximately 3m/ 9.8ft tall and 4m/13 ft wide, and about 10 tons in weight, perfectly carved on a single block of stone with perfect level surfaces and smooth right angles. It is located near Lake Titicaca at about 3,825m/12,549 ft above sea level near La Paz, Bolivia.
The figures that decorate the stone are astronomical connotations and resemble human-like beings with wings and curled-up tails, and appear to be wearing rectangular helmets. The lintel is carved with 48 squares surrounding a central figure. Each square represent a character in the form of winged effigy. There are 32 effigies with human faces and 16 with condors' heads. All look to the central motif -the figure of a man in the centre sculpted with his head surrounded by 24 linear rays emitting from his face in all directions representing the rays of the sun. The figure is also called the "Weeping God" because things similar to tears are carved on his face. The styled staffs held by the figure symbolize thunder and lightening. Some believe that the central figure represents the Sun God, while others have linked it with the Inca Creator God Viracocha.
The Sun Gate reflects a solar calendar of the Earth in a distant time when the length of a solar year was different and it cannot be made to fit into the solar year as we divide it at present. The calendar has 290 days, divided into 12 months of 24 days each. The calendar also gives the beginning of the year, the days of the equinoxes and solstices, information on the obliquity of the ecliptic (then about 16.5 degrees; now 23.5) and on Tiahuanaco's latitude (then about 10 degrees; now 16.27), and many other astronomical and geographical references from which interesting and important data may be calculated. They also divided the circle in 264 degrees, in contrast with our present day 360 degrees. At that time the Earth had a different solar orbit and axial tilt, and a different moon.
The Gate of the Sun is a unique depository of astronomical, mathematical, and scientific data, put down in a language that was very different from ours. The symbols had minute details and they are positioned in an overall schematics and a directional flow of reading, that would allow to compress a lot of information into a small space.
What the Sun Gate Calendar shows is that the ancients had a way to write down complex information in a compact iconographic form, in which every detail had a meaning. It is an entirely different form of communication. Their way was very structural, mathematical, and directional.
What the Sun Gate Calendar also shows is that the World of people before the catastrophes of 12,000 years ago must have been quite different. A much smaller moon would have meant that there were no or almost no tides of the oceans, seas, bays, rivers. A lesser axial tilt of the Earth would have resulted in less pronounced seasons. A quicker rotation of the Earth around the Sun, with a smaller year of 290 days, would also have had its influence on growth cycles of plants and animals and humans.
Tiahuanco extended into present-day Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. Considered by some the oldest city in the World, much of Tiahuanaco's creation defies the laws of physics and mathematics even by today's standards. Many monuments bear close resemblance to those created by other ancient cultures all over the planet. It is truly an overlap if one were to place hologram over hologram, to define the journey of humanity in time.
Tiahuanaco's timeline came and went, leaving behind megalithic monuments that go without explanation as to their mathematical design and construction. It is unknown how old these structures are. Some researchers suggest that Tiahuanaco dated to 15,000 BC, based on his astronomical techniques. More and more people now are accepting the fact that the Earth has had a long and complicated history, with many civilizations, some of them very advanced that came and went, leaving their testimony clearly fashioned by their advanced technology.
Andean legends claim the area around Lake Titicaca was the cradle of the first humans on Earth. Lord Viracocha, the Creator of all things, chose Tiahuanaco as the place of creation.
Tiahuanaco was once a port and it is now about 800 feet above the level of Lake Titicaca. Structures found in the Lake shows that the water level have changed dramatically throughout history.
One ruin still standing in Tiahuanaco is the Gate of the Sun. It is a megalithic solid stone approximately 3m/ 9.8ft tall and 4m/13 ft wide, and about 10 tons in weight, perfectly carved on a single block of stone with perfect level surfaces and smooth right angles. It is located near Lake Titicaca at about 3,825m/12,549 ft above sea level near La Paz, Bolivia.
The figures that decorate the stone are astronomical connotations and resemble human-like beings with wings and curled-up tails, and appear to be wearing rectangular helmets. The lintel is carved with 48 squares surrounding a central figure. Each square represent a character in the form of winged effigy. There are 32 effigies with human faces and 16 with condors' heads. All look to the central motif -the figure of a man in the centre sculpted with his head surrounded by 24 linear rays emitting from his face in all directions representing the rays of the sun. The figure is also called the "Weeping God" because things similar to tears are carved on his face. The styled staffs held by the figure symbolize thunder and lightening. Some believe that the central figure represents the Sun God, while others have linked it with the Inca Creator God Viracocha.
The Sun Gate reflects a solar calendar of the Earth in a distant time when the length of a solar year was different and it cannot be made to fit into the solar year as we divide it at present. The calendar has 290 days, divided into 12 months of 24 days each. The calendar also gives the beginning of the year, the days of the equinoxes and solstices, information on the obliquity of the ecliptic (then about 16.5 degrees; now 23.5) and on Tiahuanaco's latitude (then about 10 degrees; now 16.27), and many other astronomical and geographical references from which interesting and important data may be calculated. They also divided the circle in 264 degrees, in contrast with our present day 360 degrees. At that time the Earth had a different solar orbit and axial tilt, and a different moon.
The Gate of the Sun is a unique depository of astronomical, mathematical, and scientific data, put down in a language that was very different from ours. The symbols had minute details and they are positioned in an overall schematics and a directional flow of reading, that would allow to compress a lot of information into a small space.
What the Sun Gate Calendar shows is that the ancients had a way to write down complex information in a compact iconographic form, in which every detail had a meaning. It is an entirely different form of communication. Their way was very structural, mathematical, and directional.
What the Sun Gate Calendar also shows is that the World of people before the catastrophes of 12,000 years ago must have been quite different. A much smaller moon would have meant that there were no or almost no tides of the oceans, seas, bays, rivers. A lesser axial tilt of the Earth would have resulted in less pronounced seasons. A quicker rotation of the Earth around the Sun, with a smaller year of 290 days, would also have had its influence on growth cycles of plants and animals and humans.
THE ENIGMATIC CHAVIN OF HUANTAR.
Chavin of Huantar holds a notorious religious significance which is the reason why the geographical location was used as a ceremonial center and was also the central power for the Chavin culture.
The Chavin civilization was a major pre-Inca culture. The occupation of the site has been dated to at least 3,000 BC.
Chavin of Huantar is at an elevation of 3,180m /10,430 ft, East of the White Cordillera at the start of the Conchucos Valley, North of modern day Lima, where 2 Rivers merges: the Mosna River and the Huanchecsa River. As a result this site allows for easy transportation and, at the same time, limited access to outsiders.
The confluence of two large Rivers was understood mystically as the harmonious meeting of opposing forces. Chavin of Huantar served as the meeting place of the natural and cosmic forces. The area is known to have natural hot springs as well as an awe-inspiring view of the Huantsan peak (part of the White Cordillera) which adds more religious significance to the site. It has 4 peaks with a maximum elevation of 6,369 / 20,896 ft above sea level.
While the large population was based on agricultural economy, the city's location at the headwaters of the Maranon River, between the coast and the jungle, made it an ideal location for the dissemination and collection of both ideas and goods. They were able to cultivate lowland crops such as maize and high altitude crops such as potatoes. They also domesticated llamas in the high altitude areas as a means to carrying heavy loads on the steep slopes of the hills.
The site shows a large ceremonial centre that reveals a great deal about the culture. It served as a gathering place for people of the region to come together and worship as one single body. Findings indicate that social instability and upheaval began to occur between 500 and 300 BC, at the same time that the larger Chavin civilization began to decline. Large ceremonial sites were abandoned, some unfinished, or some were replaced by villages and agricultural land. No later than 500 BC, a small village replaced the Circular Plaza. Then the Plaza was occupied by a succession of cultural groups.
The Circular Plaza appears to have been a sacred and ritually important open-air space within a ceremonial center. It has a number of functions, including serving as an Atrium for entering the Temple A through the Temple's North staircase. The plaza is bounded on 3 sides by major Temples A, B, and C, and is perfectly circular, close to 20m/66 ft in diameter. The floor consisted on pillow-shaped pavers of yellow sedimentary rock. It appears that a center line of black limestone blocks runs on its architectural East-West axis. Walls of the Plaza were constructed of cut stone, principally granite, laid in courses of varying width. The two broadest courses were carved in arcs closest to the Western staircase and in two pairs or terminal stones flanking the Eastern staircase.
The Old Temple was inward-facing structure composed primarily of passageways built around a circular courtyard. The structure contained obelisks and stone monuments with relief carvings depicting jaguars, caimans, and other forms with anthropomorphic features.
The Lanzon Gallery, located at the very center, contained a sculpture of the Lanzon, with a feline head and human body.
The New Temple is also based on a Gallery and Plaza design and contained many relief sculptures. The Lanzon deity is also present, holding a srombus shell in the right hand while the left hand holds a Spondylus shell. Smaller renovations happened consistently over the Chavin horizon ending by 500 BC when the new Temple was completed, still embodying a U-shaped ceremonial center design. The main objective of the renovations appears to be based on enabling more people to gather in one place.
The site has been studied with laser scanning in an attempt to determine whether it was planned by an elite or had resulted from religious favor. Because details such as stair placement remain constant throughout generations of builders, the site is a very early example of the use of a standardized building code.
The Chavin civilization was a major pre-Inca culture. The occupation of the site has been dated to at least 3,000 BC.
Chavin of Huantar is at an elevation of 3,180m /10,430 ft, East of the White Cordillera at the start of the Conchucos Valley, North of modern day Lima, where 2 Rivers merges: the Mosna River and the Huanchecsa River. As a result this site allows for easy transportation and, at the same time, limited access to outsiders.
The confluence of two large Rivers was understood mystically as the harmonious meeting of opposing forces. Chavin of Huantar served as the meeting place of the natural and cosmic forces. The area is known to have natural hot springs as well as an awe-inspiring view of the Huantsan peak (part of the White Cordillera) which adds more religious significance to the site. It has 4 peaks with a maximum elevation of 6,369 / 20,896 ft above sea level.
While the large population was based on agricultural economy, the city's location at the headwaters of the Maranon River, between the coast and the jungle, made it an ideal location for the dissemination and collection of both ideas and goods. They were able to cultivate lowland crops such as maize and high altitude crops such as potatoes. They also domesticated llamas in the high altitude areas as a means to carrying heavy loads on the steep slopes of the hills.
The site shows a large ceremonial centre that reveals a great deal about the culture. It served as a gathering place for people of the region to come together and worship as one single body. Findings indicate that social instability and upheaval began to occur between 500 and 300 BC, at the same time that the larger Chavin civilization began to decline. Large ceremonial sites were abandoned, some unfinished, or some were replaced by villages and agricultural land. No later than 500 BC, a small village replaced the Circular Plaza. Then the Plaza was occupied by a succession of cultural groups.
The Circular Plaza appears to have been a sacred and ritually important open-air space within a ceremonial center. It has a number of functions, including serving as an Atrium for entering the Temple A through the Temple's North staircase. The plaza is bounded on 3 sides by major Temples A, B, and C, and is perfectly circular, close to 20m/66 ft in diameter. The floor consisted on pillow-shaped pavers of yellow sedimentary rock. It appears that a center line of black limestone blocks runs on its architectural East-West axis. Walls of the Plaza were constructed of cut stone, principally granite, laid in courses of varying width. The two broadest courses were carved in arcs closest to the Western staircase and in two pairs or terminal stones flanking the Eastern staircase.
The Old Temple was inward-facing structure composed primarily of passageways built around a circular courtyard. The structure contained obelisks and stone monuments with relief carvings depicting jaguars, caimans, and other forms with anthropomorphic features.
The Lanzon Gallery, located at the very center, contained a sculpture of the Lanzon, with a feline head and human body.
The New Temple is also based on a Gallery and Plaza design and contained many relief sculptures. The Lanzon deity is also present, holding a srombus shell in the right hand while the left hand holds a Spondylus shell. Smaller renovations happened consistently over the Chavin horizon ending by 500 BC when the new Temple was completed, still embodying a U-shaped ceremonial center design. The main objective of the renovations appears to be based on enabling more people to gather in one place.
The site has been studied with laser scanning in an attempt to determine whether it was planned by an elite or had resulted from religious favor. Because details such as stair placement remain constant throughout generations of builders, the site is a very early example of the use of a standardized building code.
ANCIENT REED BOATS.
The earliest discovered remains in the old world from a reed boat are 7,000 years old, found in Failaka Island, Kuwait.
Reed boats are depicted in early images created by removing part of a rock surface, as a form of rock art. The images show reed boats and men.
Similarities can be found in cave paintings around the world. The reed boats depicted in cave paintings in Scandinavia led people to theorize that Scandinavians came from an area that today is Azerbaijan. A hill and mountain site occupying the South East end of the Greater Caucasus mountain ridge, mainly in the basin of Jeyrankechmaz River, between the Rivers Pirsagat and Sumgait, was declared a national historical landmark in an attempt to preserve the ancient carvings for the quality and density of its engraving. There are more than 6,000 images carved in there by the ancient people that lived in these caves 12,000 years ago. At that time the Caspian Sea was much higher and washed against the lower rocks of the hill.
Another site is the Valley of Many Baths (Wadi Ham-Mamat), a dry River bed in Egypt's Easter Desert, about halfway between El Qoseir and Qena. The drawings of Egyptian reed boats date to 4,000 BC. It was a major mining region and trade route East from the Nile Valley in ancient times, and 3,000 years of rock carvings and graffiti make it a major scientific and tourist site today. The Valley of Many Baths became the major route from Thebes to the Red Sea and then to the Silk Road that led to Asia, or to Arabia and the Horn of Africa. This 200 km journey was the most direct route from the Nile to the Red Sea, as the Nile bends toward the coast at the Western end of the Valley.
A famous example, according to the Scriptures, of an Egyptian reed boat is the chest made of reeds in which the baby Moses was set afloat. When the Pharaoh issued a decree to kill all the Israelites males, the baby Moses was saved by his mother, who set him adrift on the Nile in a reed boat or basket.
Theophrastus in his "History of Plants" states that the rigging on King Antigonus' fleet, used to fasten the doors when Ulyses slew the suitors in his hall, was made from papyrus reed.
Ancient Mediterranean or African people crossed the Atlantic and reached the other side of the earth by sailing with the Canary Current. It is a wind-driven surface current that is part of a circular system of ocean currents that stretches across the North Atlantic from near the equator almost to Iceland, and from the East coast of North America to the West coasts of Europe and Africa.
Reed boats were also constructed from very early times in Peru and Bolivia and still they are being used as a mean of transportation. Totora reeds grow around Lake Titicaca, a large, deep Lake in the Andes on the border of Bolivia and Peru. By volume of water and by surface area, Lake Titicaca is the largest Lake in South America. It is often called the "highest navigable Lake" in the world, with a surface elevation of 3,812 m / 12,507ft.
The totora reeds have been used by various Andean ancient civilizations to built reed boats. The boats, called "balsa," vary in size from small fishing canoes to 30m long. They are constantly used on Lake Titicaca as means of transportation.
The Uros are Andean people of Peru and Bolivia that live on 42 self-fashioned floating Islands in Lake Titicaca near Puno, Peru. The Uru descend from an very ancient town that, according to legends, are people who speak Uru or Pukina language and that they are identified as the guardians of the Lake and water. Uru used to say that they have black blood because they did not feel cold. They have historically called themselves "Sons of the Sun."
The purpose of the Island settlements was originally defensive; is a thread arose the floating Islands could be moved. The largest Island retains a Watchtower almost entirely constructed of reeds.
Reed boats are depicted in early images created by removing part of a rock surface, as a form of rock art. The images show reed boats and men.
Similarities can be found in cave paintings around the world. The reed boats depicted in cave paintings in Scandinavia led people to theorize that Scandinavians came from an area that today is Azerbaijan. A hill and mountain site occupying the South East end of the Greater Caucasus mountain ridge, mainly in the basin of Jeyrankechmaz River, between the Rivers Pirsagat and Sumgait, was declared a national historical landmark in an attempt to preserve the ancient carvings for the quality and density of its engraving. There are more than 6,000 images carved in there by the ancient people that lived in these caves 12,000 years ago. At that time the Caspian Sea was much higher and washed against the lower rocks of the hill.
Another site is the Valley of Many Baths (Wadi Ham-Mamat), a dry River bed in Egypt's Easter Desert, about halfway between El Qoseir and Qena. The drawings of Egyptian reed boats date to 4,000 BC. It was a major mining region and trade route East from the Nile Valley in ancient times, and 3,000 years of rock carvings and graffiti make it a major scientific and tourist site today. The Valley of Many Baths became the major route from Thebes to the Red Sea and then to the Silk Road that led to Asia, or to Arabia and the Horn of Africa. This 200 km journey was the most direct route from the Nile to the Red Sea, as the Nile bends toward the coast at the Western end of the Valley.
A famous example, according to the Scriptures, of an Egyptian reed boat is the chest made of reeds in which the baby Moses was set afloat. When the Pharaoh issued a decree to kill all the Israelites males, the baby Moses was saved by his mother, who set him adrift on the Nile in a reed boat or basket.
Theophrastus in his "History of Plants" states that the rigging on King Antigonus' fleet, used to fasten the doors when Ulyses slew the suitors in his hall, was made from papyrus reed.
Ancient Mediterranean or African people crossed the Atlantic and reached the other side of the earth by sailing with the Canary Current. It is a wind-driven surface current that is part of a circular system of ocean currents that stretches across the North Atlantic from near the equator almost to Iceland, and from the East coast of North America to the West coasts of Europe and Africa.
Reed boats were also constructed from very early times in Peru and Bolivia and still they are being used as a mean of transportation. Totora reeds grow around Lake Titicaca, a large, deep Lake in the Andes on the border of Bolivia and Peru. By volume of water and by surface area, Lake Titicaca is the largest Lake in South America. It is often called the "highest navigable Lake" in the world, with a surface elevation of 3,812 m / 12,507ft.
The totora reeds have been used by various Andean ancient civilizations to built reed boats. The boats, called "balsa," vary in size from small fishing canoes to 30m long. They are constantly used on Lake Titicaca as means of transportation.
The Uros are Andean people of Peru and Bolivia that live on 42 self-fashioned floating Islands in Lake Titicaca near Puno, Peru. The Uru descend from an very ancient town that, according to legends, are people who speak Uru or Pukina language and that they are identified as the guardians of the Lake and water. Uru used to say that they have black blood because they did not feel cold. They have historically called themselves "Sons of the Sun."
The purpose of the Island settlements was originally defensive; is a thread arose the floating Islands could be moved. The largest Island retains a Watchtower almost entirely constructed of reeds.
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