THE ANDEAN GODDESS MOON: MAMA QUILLA.

Mama Quilla (Mother Moon) was the third power known as "Mother Moon,"after Inti (sun god) and Illapu (thunder god) during the time of the Inca empire. She was the sister and wife of Inti, daughter of Viracocha, the Creator god (husband of Mama Pacha), and mother of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, known as the mythical founders of the Inca empire and culture.
Mama Quilla was viewed as more important than Inti (sun god) and was showed great respect by the ancient coastal communities of Northern Peru. The Aymara people that came to inhabit the coastal areas near Lima, following the breakup of the Wari culture, inhabited Pacha'Camac and constructed at least 16 pyramids and built or remodeled more structures continuing the growth and influence over the region (see middle picture). Later, the goddess also became the mother of the deity Pacha'Camac.
When the Chimu culture arose. with its capital the city of Chan Chan (first picture above), a large adobe city in the Moche Valley of present-day Trujillo, Peru, was built. Their land consisted of a narrow strip of desert land, 20 to 100 miles wide, between the Pacific Ocean and the Western slopes of the Andes, crossing here and there short rivers starting in the mountains and providing a series of green and fertile oases. The Chimu were known for its reverence to the moon and offerings to her played an important role. A common object for offerings was the shell of shell-fish (people picking up shells drawn over a stone is presented above), Spopndylus (thorny oyster), which live only in the warm coastal waters off present day Northern Tumbes and Piura, Peru, and Ecuador. Their key characteristic is that the two halves of their shells are joined with a ball-and-socket type of hinge rather than the toothed hinge, that is more common in other bi-valves. The oyster also retain vestigial anterior and posterior auricles (ears, triangular shell flaps) along the hinge line, a common feature of scallops though not of oysters. Like all scallops, Spondylus have multiple eyes around the edges of their shells and have relatively well-developed nervous systems. Their nervous ganglia are concentrated in the visceral region, with recognizable optic lobes connected to the eyes.
The Wari, the Pacha'Camac people, Chancay, and Chimu, all worshiped the Pacha'Camac deity. The Incas adopted Pacha'Camac when they incorporated all those cultures into their empire.
Mama Quilla, then, was the goddess of marriage and women's menstrual cycle, and considered a defender and protector of the feminine power. She was envisage in the form of a beautiful woman and respected because of her admirable beauty and her temples were served by dedicated priestesses.
Myths surrounded her include that she cried tears of silver and that lunar eclipses were caused when she was being attacked by an animal. The Incas, in particular, feared lunar eclipses as they also believed that during the eclipse, an animal was attacking Mama Quilla. Consequently, people attempted to scare away the animal by throwing weapons, gesturing and making as much noise as possible. They believed that if the animal achieved its aim, then the world would be left in darkness.
Mama Quilla was respected as a deity by the Andean people because of the benefits she bestowed upon their Andean world. She was important for calculating the passage of time and the lunar calendar,  and many rituals were based upon her calendar and adjusted to match the solar year. She was the regulator of women's menstrual cycles and the waxing and waning of the moon was used to calculate montly cycles, from which the time periods for Inca festivals were set.
Mama Quilla, as the wife of the sun god, Inti, had her own temple in Cuzco during Inca times. The temple did not shelter the priests, attendants, and the Chosen Women, since most ceremonies were held outside the temple property. They instead resided inside the most important shrines. The chief priest, who was of noble lineage, held his post for life, was married and his authority was similar as the one held by the Inca. Priests were chosen young by the ones more experienced who knew how to observe special qualities that denoted a predisposition or predestination of the individual to occupy such sacred seat.
Prediction was the prerequisite to all action. It was used to diagnose illness, the outcome of battles, to determine what sacrifice should be made to what entity or god. Life was believed to be controlled by the all-pervading unseen powers, and to determine these portents the priests and the Inca had enough authority to deal with it.
Inca religion was the main concern of the European explorers since their arrival to Inca land. It was vital to successfully convince them that they were friendly and meant no harm. However, the outcome was totally wrong....  .