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.
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