Tiahuanaco is located on the Southern shore of Lake Titicaca at a height of 13,000 feet. This culture thrived at the breathless, oxygen deprived height and managed to move stones weighing up to 200 tons and invented modular building techniques that would even today, be cutting edge.
The fact that the culture of Tiahuanaco appeared fully developed in this high altitude, arid and inhospitable land is a real puzzle. Almost immediately they seem to have used advanced building techniques like modules construction. Huge blocks were carved from single stones and designed to fit together on the site with exact precision and artistic style. The massive blocks are extremely stable resisting both time and earthquakes. They were made, transported and positioned apparently by hand.
Tiahuanaco was the capital of an empire that extended into the present-day Peru and Bolivia, and is believed to be one of the most important cities of ancient South America.
Tiahuanaco is now about 800 feet above the level of Lake Titicaca, but most archaeologists agree that it was once a port. In the past, the Lake was much higher and its shores lapped Tiahuanaco. Structures found in Lake Titicaca show that the sea levels changed dramatically throughout history.
It is unknown how old these ruins are but some researchers suggest that they date to 14,000 years BC.
There is evidence that architectural structures exist at the bottom of the Lake Titicaca, suggesting that the civilization existed before the Lake was formed. Many scientists believe that the Lake formed during some great flood dating back thousands of years.
The region was believed to have been populated by about 100,000 people. This estimation is based on the amount of pottery and other artifacts that remain in the land area. Multiple grid and maze like structures throughout Tiahuanaco, visible only because of the discoloration of the underlying soil, were discovered to be an ancient network of gardens and canals, capable of growing potatoes and other crops. The plan was ingenious. Canals were placed in grids that surrounded the narrow garden. The depth of this canals was kept to from 24 to 30 inches so that the strong daytime sunlight could easily warm the water. In the evening, when the frigid air caused frost, the canals vented their stored heat in the form of a fog. This kept the temperature around the plants elevated above freezing and also helped irrigate them. The canals were constructed in a well planned and artistic pattern. This further indicate the intellect and aesthetic appreciation of this people.
One of the most famous icon of the archaeological site at Tiahuanaco and still standing is the Portal of the Sun. It is approximately 3 meters tall and carved on a single block of stone. When first discovered in the mid-19th century, the Portal was lying horizontally and had a large crack going through it. It currently stands in the same location where it was found, although it is believed that this is not its original location. Where the exact location was remain uncertain. The figures that decorate the Portal have astronomical connotations and resemble human-like beings with wings and curled-up tails, and appear to be wearing rectangular helmets.
Discoveries of the apparent advanced knowledge that their engineers seemed to possess reflects thousands of years ahead of other cultures. They knew that the earth was a globe which rotated on its axis and they calculated exactly the time of eclipses, even those not visible at Tiahuanaco but visible in the opposite hemisphere. They also divided the circle mathematically into 264 degrees; and determined the correct ratio pi (22/7), and they were able to calculate squares roots.
The Sun-God in the centre of the Portal is sculpted with rays emitting from his face in all directions. He also appears to be holding a staff in each hand. The Sun-God figure is also called the 'Weeping God' because things similar to tears are carved on its face.
Some people believe that this Portal was used as a calendar because it appears to reflect a solar year of their time. Others have attempted to explain this as being a ritualistic calendar from some other planet or galaxy. The calendar has 290 days, divided into 12 months of 24 days each, plus 2 intercalary days added to make the cycle complete. Other theories suggest that it was an inter-dimensional Portal between the three realms that they believed existed parallel to the realm of the living.
The religion of Tiahuanaco centered around the cult of the universe and the creator god Vira-Cocha.
Andean legends claim that the area around Lake Titicaca was the cradle of the first humans on Earth. According to their creation myth, Lord Vira-Cocha, the creator of all things, chose Tiahuanaco as the place of creation.
Creation Myth: In the beginning, Lord Con-Tiki-Vira-Cocha (Foam of the Sea), prince and creator of all things, emerged from the void and created the earth and the heavens.
Then he created animals and a race of giants who lived in eternal darkness as he had neglected to create a source of light. These beings enraged the Lord, and he turned them into stone. Then he flooded the earth till all was under water, and all life extinguished.
In a new start, he created the sun, moon, and stars. Now he created new birds and animals.
Again he decided to form human beings, these he fashioned from stone. Some he painted with long hair, some with short hair, some women he painted as pregnant, some as caring for babies fashined beside them; and on each figure he painted the clothes they would continue to wear.
Finally he divided the stone figures into groups, giving each group its own language, its own food to grow, and its own songs to sing.
Then he buried all the figures in the earth to await his command that would bring them to life.
Vira-Cocha then summoned his helpers and told them to go forth on the earth in different directions to prepare places for the new humans to occupy.
Vira-Cocha then traveled the land, calling each group into life as he passed the land they were to populate, whereupon he taught them how to live on the land selected for them.
Vira-Cocha and his companion finished with their teaching process and walking on the waves of the ocean they disappear toward the setting sun.
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Monday, August 8, 2016
THE HUACA' S SPIRIT.
A huaca was anything at all unusual in nature, it cloud be a person, place, or thing and immediately considered sacred to Andean peoples.
The idea behind the notion of 'huaca' was the belief that there were supernatural spirits that animated everything in nature, ranging from Mountain peaks, to Rivers, to lakes, to Mummies, to oddly shaped Rocks, or even strangely shaped potatoes or ears of corn. Also such things as natural Bridges, Caves, buildings, quarries, battlefields, and archaeological sites such as the ruined city of Tiahuanaco in Bolivia were considered 'huacas.'
The spirits that animated the 'huacas' had certain specific powers and responsibilities, effective mostly in their specific locations. Thus a field guardian huaca protected a specific field, a spring considered a huaca was responsible for its own flow, and an ancestral huaca was responsible for its lineage.
Huacas varied in their power and were hierarchically ranked. The larger the huaca was, the more power it had. Thus Mountain Peaks, especially high snow-covered peaks, were the most powerful ones.
The Incas firmly believed in the power of the 'huacas' and worshipped them alongside the formal deities. Cuzco itself was an important huaca, and royal Inca states and architecture often incorporated stone huacas. Many states feature special platforms for mountain worship with spectacular views of the mountain peaks.
Associated with royal sites were carved stone huacas called Inti-Huatana, ot the 'hitching post of the sun.' The most famous Inti-Huatanas are at the royal estates of Machu-Picchu and Pisac.
Other huacas of special importance to the Incas were places connected with events related to their lineage history. The hill of Huana-Caure where Ayar Ucho was believed to have turned into a stone was a major huaca. So were the places associated with emperors such as Pacha-Cutec or Tupac Inca Yupanqui.
The numerous stones, called Puru-Auca, that Pacha-Cutec claimed had turned to warriors to help him defeat the Chanca army during the siege of Cuzco were all worshiped as huacas.
Individuals traveling over mountain passes commonly carried a small stone to be deposited as an offering at the top with a prayer for strength and protection. This huacas were called Apu-Chita and were marked by piles of small stones contributed over the years.
Avery important type of huaca was a guardian spirit called 'Hua-Oque,' meaning 'Brother." It consisted of a statue made to represent an Inca ruler or a high- ranking lord. The size, form, and material used to make the statue varied according to the whim of the person being represented. they could be made of many different materials, including stone, wood, or precious metals. The image was formally adopted as a 'Hua-Oque' in a special ceremony. Family members were required to treat the statue in the same way that they treated the living person it represented or his mummy. Like mummies, these statues were dressed and fed and participated in daily activities. They were even taken into battle during wartime, since they were believed to lend a degree of strength and success to the army.
Some, but not all, huacas had oracular powers. Some of the most famous, such as Pacha-Camac and Apu-Rimac were known for its oracular powers. All decisions were made only after consulting the supernatural energies in contact with the oracular huacas. Questions put to oracles usually had to do with seeing the consequences as a result of certain actions. The questions were laid to the huaca, and the priest who spoke for it provided the answer after entering in a trance that was exactly done when a portal was open.
In Cuzco and its vicinity were over 350 huacas. These were very carefully organized into groupings, and certain Inca kin groups were responsible for their upkeep and making the proper sacrificces on the proper days.
The basic concept in the organization of these huacas was that they all were located along 41 distinct straight lines called 'ceques' that radiated outward from the Cori-Cancha Sun Temple to distances up to 12 kilometers from Cuzco. Each line connected between 4 and 15 huacas that were unevenly distributed along the lines. The lines were grouped by the quarter or Suyo of the empire within which they fell. Chinchay-Suyo, Anti-Suyo, and Colla-Suyo, each contained 9 lines, while Conti-Suyo contained 14 lines. In the 3 quarters with 9 lines, the lines were further divided into groups of 3.
The whole system is very reminiscent of the method used by the inca for recording information on knotted cords, or 'quipu.'
It is possible that a similar system was common in all Inca towns and administrative centers but not enough information have survived to indicate it with certainty.
The idea behind the notion of 'huaca' was the belief that there were supernatural spirits that animated everything in nature, ranging from Mountain peaks, to Rivers, to lakes, to Mummies, to oddly shaped Rocks, or even strangely shaped potatoes or ears of corn. Also such things as natural Bridges, Caves, buildings, quarries, battlefields, and archaeological sites such as the ruined city of Tiahuanaco in Bolivia were considered 'huacas.'
The spirits that animated the 'huacas' had certain specific powers and responsibilities, effective mostly in their specific locations. Thus a field guardian huaca protected a specific field, a spring considered a huaca was responsible for its own flow, and an ancestral huaca was responsible for its lineage.
Huacas varied in their power and were hierarchically ranked. The larger the huaca was, the more power it had. Thus Mountain Peaks, especially high snow-covered peaks, were the most powerful ones.
The Incas firmly believed in the power of the 'huacas' and worshipped them alongside the formal deities. Cuzco itself was an important huaca, and royal Inca states and architecture often incorporated stone huacas. Many states feature special platforms for mountain worship with spectacular views of the mountain peaks.
Associated with royal sites were carved stone huacas called Inti-Huatana, ot the 'hitching post of the sun.' The most famous Inti-Huatanas are at the royal estates of Machu-Picchu and Pisac.
Other huacas of special importance to the Incas were places connected with events related to their lineage history. The hill of Huana-Caure where Ayar Ucho was believed to have turned into a stone was a major huaca. So were the places associated with emperors such as Pacha-Cutec or Tupac Inca Yupanqui.
The numerous stones, called Puru-Auca, that Pacha-Cutec claimed had turned to warriors to help him defeat the Chanca army during the siege of Cuzco were all worshiped as huacas.
Individuals traveling over mountain passes commonly carried a small stone to be deposited as an offering at the top with a prayer for strength and protection. This huacas were called Apu-Chita and were marked by piles of small stones contributed over the years.
Avery important type of huaca was a guardian spirit called 'Hua-Oque,' meaning 'Brother." It consisted of a statue made to represent an Inca ruler or a high- ranking lord. The size, form, and material used to make the statue varied according to the whim of the person being represented. they could be made of many different materials, including stone, wood, or precious metals. The image was formally adopted as a 'Hua-Oque' in a special ceremony. Family members were required to treat the statue in the same way that they treated the living person it represented or his mummy. Like mummies, these statues were dressed and fed and participated in daily activities. They were even taken into battle during wartime, since they were believed to lend a degree of strength and success to the army.
Some, but not all, huacas had oracular powers. Some of the most famous, such as Pacha-Camac and Apu-Rimac were known for its oracular powers. All decisions were made only after consulting the supernatural energies in contact with the oracular huacas. Questions put to oracles usually had to do with seeing the consequences as a result of certain actions. The questions were laid to the huaca, and the priest who spoke for it provided the answer after entering in a trance that was exactly done when a portal was open.
In Cuzco and its vicinity were over 350 huacas. These were very carefully organized into groupings, and certain Inca kin groups were responsible for their upkeep and making the proper sacrificces on the proper days.
The basic concept in the organization of these huacas was that they all were located along 41 distinct straight lines called 'ceques' that radiated outward from the Cori-Cancha Sun Temple to distances up to 12 kilometers from Cuzco. Each line connected between 4 and 15 huacas that were unevenly distributed along the lines. The lines were grouped by the quarter or Suyo of the empire within which they fell. Chinchay-Suyo, Anti-Suyo, and Colla-Suyo, each contained 9 lines, while Conti-Suyo contained 14 lines. In the 3 quarters with 9 lines, the lines were further divided into groups of 3.
The whole system is very reminiscent of the method used by the inca for recording information on knotted cords, or 'quipu.'
It is possible that a similar system was common in all Inca towns and administrative centers but not enough information have survived to indicate it with certainty.
THE ADVANCE MEDICINE OF THE INCAS.
Inca medicine is a complicated mix of many practices and beliefs. Their religion and healthcare were very closely intertwined, as Inca priests were also doctors, and the cures they used were often more supernatural than conventional medicine. Sickness were understood as the work of supernatural forces. They use the earth and cosmic magnetism to interact each other through the frequencies emitted by magical charms, chants, and spells, and try to restore the harmony in the communication. Still, to cure the physical body, they used the appropriate amount of herbs and minerals used as remedies, anesthetics, and antibiotics, with prayers and supernatural spells to restore the harmony in it, since it was considered the vessel of the cosmic force used by the soul of the individual.
If an Inca broke a law, sinned against any deity, or lied, it was enough reason to become sick due to the break of the harmony of the dual forces co-existing in the universe.
They had an extent supply of knowledge about how to treat many sicknesses. The Inca knew the medicinal properties of vary great variety of medicinal plants. The chewed coca leave were used as a painkiller, and also to lessen hunger as the Chasqui messengers did. They never became addicted to any of the herbs used to lessen the pain since they, together with the herb, used wild tobacco, chicha made from fermented maize (alcoholic beverage), and hynosis to make the brain rest during a surgery process, avoiding the person to loose contact with reality while still the mind was under the effect of the narcotics.
They knew how to restore the physical body from, among others, urinary track blockage, respiratory disorders, and how to treat sickness in the immune system by increasing the amount of white blood cells. Also they were able to alleviate dysentery, ulcers, eye problems, and toothache. They also did blood transfusions. The success rate was quite high since the entire population were from the same blood group, type O.
To treat wounds they used boiled bark from a pepper tree placing it while still warm on the wound, and to prevent infection they burned the wound a little bit. To close an open wound they used the jaws from large ants as a clasp to seal it.
Surgeons were highly skilled, as they knew detailed information about cranial anatomy, and not to cut parts of the skull where the brain was injured, bleeding or where infections were more likely to appear. They also managed successfully to take away small pieces of the patient's hand to treat a head injury, and removed crushed or deceased limbs.
The brain surgery was called 'trepanation' and has been carried out since 1000AC. Over the years, remains have shown that the survival rate was around 90% with very low infection levels. They had different methods of operating the skull. Many people underwent this surgery, some even undergoing it more than once. The patients were mostly adult men that suffer brain injury, but also the trepanation was performed to cure epilepsy or chronic bone infection.
There were many different people involved in the Inca system of healthcare. One of them was the 'Hua-Tucc.' Their job was to find out the origin of the negative energy that causes the sickness, then to diagnose the patient, and to examine thoroughly the person's life. Then there was also the 'Ham-Pec,' who had applied their knowledge about all kind of diseases over the physical body and then cure the patient using the appropriate herbs and minerals. The 'Paco' was in charge of the treatment of the soul and to make sure the spirit was healthy. The soul was believed to be in the heart (character / personality) of the person. These different types of doctors were very religious, mystical, and very knowledgeable in the behavior of the natural forces and use of the natural energies of herbs and minerals.
Every village had their own 'San-Coyoc' or surgeon priest who would take care of broken limbs (disruption inside the community or refusal to comply to Inca law), open abscessed wounds (evil talking), and pull out teeth (taking out the root of any negative energy). They were also the 'Hampi Ca-Mayoc,' keepers of the authorized remedies and a state chemist. A 'Colla-Huaya' supplied medicinal plants, amulets, and charms, containing the required vibration or frequencies to restore the unbalanced energies.
Becoming a doctor was not an easy journey. First of all the power was passed from father to son. Then he was sent off to the Inca School of Medicine at Cuzco where he learned about the properties and behavior of the cosmical energies, how them interrelated with the energies of the earth, how to identified herbs and minerals according to their energies, how to recognize the behavior of the negative energies causing sickness and how to treat them. It would take so many years of practice before he was considered a doctor. These doctors were always looking for new energies, new remedies and improved old cures, which resulted in great medical advances and development.
If an Inca broke a law, sinned against any deity, or lied, it was enough reason to become sick due to the break of the harmony of the dual forces co-existing in the universe.
They had an extent supply of knowledge about how to treat many sicknesses. The Inca knew the medicinal properties of vary great variety of medicinal plants. The chewed coca leave were used as a painkiller, and also to lessen hunger as the Chasqui messengers did. They never became addicted to any of the herbs used to lessen the pain since they, together with the herb, used wild tobacco, chicha made from fermented maize (alcoholic beverage), and hynosis to make the brain rest during a surgery process, avoiding the person to loose contact with reality while still the mind was under the effect of the narcotics.
They knew how to restore the physical body from, among others, urinary track blockage, respiratory disorders, and how to treat sickness in the immune system by increasing the amount of white blood cells. Also they were able to alleviate dysentery, ulcers, eye problems, and toothache. They also did blood transfusions. The success rate was quite high since the entire population were from the same blood group, type O.
To treat wounds they used boiled bark from a pepper tree placing it while still warm on the wound, and to prevent infection they burned the wound a little bit. To close an open wound they used the jaws from large ants as a clasp to seal it.
Surgeons were highly skilled, as they knew detailed information about cranial anatomy, and not to cut parts of the skull where the brain was injured, bleeding or where infections were more likely to appear. They also managed successfully to take away small pieces of the patient's hand to treat a head injury, and removed crushed or deceased limbs.
The brain surgery was called 'trepanation' and has been carried out since 1000AC. Over the years, remains have shown that the survival rate was around 90% with very low infection levels. They had different methods of operating the skull. Many people underwent this surgery, some even undergoing it more than once. The patients were mostly adult men that suffer brain injury, but also the trepanation was performed to cure epilepsy or chronic bone infection.
There were many different people involved in the Inca system of healthcare. One of them was the 'Hua-Tucc.' Their job was to find out the origin of the negative energy that causes the sickness, then to diagnose the patient, and to examine thoroughly the person's life. Then there was also the 'Ham-Pec,' who had applied their knowledge about all kind of diseases over the physical body and then cure the patient using the appropriate herbs and minerals. The 'Paco' was in charge of the treatment of the soul and to make sure the spirit was healthy. The soul was believed to be in the heart (character / personality) of the person. These different types of doctors were very religious, mystical, and very knowledgeable in the behavior of the natural forces and use of the natural energies of herbs and minerals.
Every village had their own 'San-Coyoc' or surgeon priest who would take care of broken limbs (disruption inside the community or refusal to comply to Inca law), open abscessed wounds (evil talking), and pull out teeth (taking out the root of any negative energy). They were also the 'Hampi Ca-Mayoc,' keepers of the authorized remedies and a state chemist. A 'Colla-Huaya' supplied medicinal plants, amulets, and charms, containing the required vibration or frequencies to restore the unbalanced energies.
Becoming a doctor was not an easy journey. First of all the power was passed from father to son. Then he was sent off to the Inca School of Medicine at Cuzco where he learned about the properties and behavior of the cosmical energies, how them interrelated with the energies of the earth, how to identified herbs and minerals according to their energies, how to recognize the behavior of the negative energies causing sickness and how to treat them. It would take so many years of practice before he was considered a doctor. These doctors were always looking for new energies, new remedies and improved old cures, which resulted in great medical advances and development.
Sunday, August 7, 2016
THE COSMOS AND THE INCA MIND.
The Cosmos was seen as a powerful Spirit that connected and influenced everything in it. It was divided into three realms or 'pachas' : Hanan Pacha (heaven), Kay Pacha (earth), and Uku Pacha (underworld). The three realms represented the three distinct planes of existence, interconnected and bridged by both physical and spiritual elements. Together, the three realms shaped the foundation of their religion, the concept of the divine Inca's blood and the cosmos, the spiritual force that governed it, and the day-to-day world view of both the divine Inca leader class and priests and the common man.
The main concept about the Cosmos' spirit was the duality of its force. The human body served as a symbol and mediator of this dualism of forces in the cosmic structure and processes. The structure of the human body with cosmological relevance included the duality of right and left and the integrated unity of the body as a whole. The processes included reproduction, illness, and sensory perception.
Inca festivals and rituals expressed and enacted this corporeal and cosmic order.
One aspect of the Inca empire's identity was its idea of being a collective component of forces unified with the purpose of maintain harmony with the cosmological forces acting in it, whereby the adherents of the Inca religion also conceived themselves as a particular force bounded together by a chain of forces of divine origin descended to the earth in the person of the Sapa Inca.
With the arrival of the Europeans, the Incas were confronted with a radically different image of the body and the cosmos. The clash between the two bodies was experienced by the Incas as a confrontation of the two opposite forces and the consequent chaos in the cosmological order projected in the earth. These humans representing the state of chaos made its arrival to the New World in a state of fear, because they couldn't comprehend how so many people in such challenging environment were connected in a solemn union with a supernatural power that intimidated them.
They were reluctant to teach their fundamental beliefs that put them on the verge of extinction to the Inca population, instead they plot a different way of approaching to it. They used the Inca's religion foundations about the existence of the world in order to gain power over them and use that power in their own benefit, to make them rich. Europeans learned new ways to advance in their own religious notions. They built the Catholic faith as a panacea to cover up their lust for the Inca treasures and using Inca's beliefs as foundation stones, within the Catholicism, they gained acceptance among the people who still preserved their connection to the other cosmic force.
Many aspects of the Inca's belief are still preserved intact in the bodies of the ones who continue its ways and will remain as part of it as long as the earth exist.
Europeans did exactly what the Cathedral in Cuzco shows to us in our days. It still houses the Spirit of its fundamental builder that set the foundation stone in which the actual building rest, and continue its existence by simultaneously giving support to the european nature baroque structures set over it, as long as the foundation exists.
Ancient ruins help us learn about the religion beliefs of the pre-Incas and Inca civilization. It comes alive through it. We do not need writing scripts to understand the foundations of their beliefs. It is plain and simple. We need just to understand the forces that act inside of our bodies and how they are connected to the creative force that unified everything.
In Machu Picchu, the famous Inca complex of plazas, temples, and homes, are set in a majestic setting give us understanding about the mind projection of the builders. The Incas developed the idea of them mapping the cosmos over their ground. More of this mind projection awaits at Ollantay-Tambo fortress, and the Sacsay-Huaman Temple, both with some of the best examples of Inca masonry.
The main concept about the Cosmos' spirit was the duality of its force. The human body served as a symbol and mediator of this dualism of forces in the cosmic structure and processes. The structure of the human body with cosmological relevance included the duality of right and left and the integrated unity of the body as a whole. The processes included reproduction, illness, and sensory perception.
Inca festivals and rituals expressed and enacted this corporeal and cosmic order.
One aspect of the Inca empire's identity was its idea of being a collective component of forces unified with the purpose of maintain harmony with the cosmological forces acting in it, whereby the adherents of the Inca religion also conceived themselves as a particular force bounded together by a chain of forces of divine origin descended to the earth in the person of the Sapa Inca.
With the arrival of the Europeans, the Incas were confronted with a radically different image of the body and the cosmos. The clash between the two bodies was experienced by the Incas as a confrontation of the two opposite forces and the consequent chaos in the cosmological order projected in the earth. These humans representing the state of chaos made its arrival to the New World in a state of fear, because they couldn't comprehend how so many people in such challenging environment were connected in a solemn union with a supernatural power that intimidated them.
They were reluctant to teach their fundamental beliefs that put them on the verge of extinction to the Inca population, instead they plot a different way of approaching to it. They used the Inca's religion foundations about the existence of the world in order to gain power over them and use that power in their own benefit, to make them rich. Europeans learned new ways to advance in their own religious notions. They built the Catholic faith as a panacea to cover up their lust for the Inca treasures and using Inca's beliefs as foundation stones, within the Catholicism, they gained acceptance among the people who still preserved their connection to the other cosmic force.
Many aspects of the Inca's belief are still preserved intact in the bodies of the ones who continue its ways and will remain as part of it as long as the earth exist.
Europeans did exactly what the Cathedral in Cuzco shows to us in our days. It still houses the Spirit of its fundamental builder that set the foundation stone in which the actual building rest, and continue its existence by simultaneously giving support to the european nature baroque structures set over it, as long as the foundation exists.
Ancient ruins help us learn about the religion beliefs of the pre-Incas and Inca civilization. It comes alive through it. We do not need writing scripts to understand the foundations of their beliefs. It is plain and simple. We need just to understand the forces that act inside of our bodies and how they are connected to the creative force that unified everything.
In Machu Picchu, the famous Inca complex of plazas, temples, and homes, are set in a majestic setting give us understanding about the mind projection of the builders. The Incas developed the idea of them mapping the cosmos over their ground. More of this mind projection awaits at Ollantay-Tambo fortress, and the Sacsay-Huaman Temple, both with some of the best examples of Inca masonry.
Saturday, August 6, 2016
THE UNIFIED SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE OF THE ANDES.
The Inca Empire (Quechua:Tahuantinsuyo) was the largest empire in the New World. The empire arose from the Highlands of Peru. Adaptation to the altitude led to distinctive physical, mental and spiritual developments. Compared to other humans, the Incas had bigger hearts with slower heart rates, almost one-third larger lung capacity, about 2 liters (4 pints) more blood volume and double the amount of hemoglobin, which transfer oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. They had the advantage of coping with the extraordinary altitude compared to those environments at a sea level.
Permanent habitations were as high as 5,300 m / 17,400 ft above sea level in the temperate zones of the high plateaus.
Their methods of unification were based on peaceful assimilation that let them to incorporate a large portion of Western South America, and its central power was centered on the Andean mountain ranges.
At its largest and powerful unification, the Tahuantinsuyo joined Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, North West Argentina, Southern Colombia, and North and Central Chile.
Roads allowed quick movement on foot for the Inca and his people and shelters called Tambos (Inn) were built one day's distance in traveling from each other, so that anyone on campaign could be fed and rested and always have supplies ready as they traveled.
The Chasqui were the messengers of the empire. They were agile an highly trained in mind and spirit and physically fit. They were in charge of carrying the quipu (record made of knotted strings for different things based on the kind, color, # of strings, etc)) and able to pass along oral information that completed the information carried in quipus, to each other and to higher authorities throughout the Inca empire. A quipu could not be read unless the chasqui was there with the rest of the oral part of the message. They also helped the inspector general in keeping track of the people in the empire. they chewed coca leaves for extra energy and cleansing purposes concerning radiation or high altitude diseases.
The Incas revered the coca plant because of its sacred spirit that was able to interact with the elements of the body (fire, air, earth and water) and keep them in balance. Its leaves were used in the exact amount that the body needed to overcome the altitude harmful effects. Inappropriate amounts were lethal altering the organic processes of the physical body, weakening the mental activity and blocking the spiritual connection with the mother earth and the cosmos.
Many discoveries in medicine were made thanks to the properties of plants and herbs as natural anesthetic relievers. They performed successful skull surgeries, by cutting holes in the skull to alleviate fluid buildup and inflammation caused by head wounds. Survival rates were 80 to 90 per cent.
Population estimated for the Tahuantinsuyo ranged from as few as 9 million to more than 37 million. They were typically married at the age of 20 concerning men and at the age of 16 concerning women. Trial marriages were typical. Man an woman agreed to try out for a few years. At the end of this time both were allowed to return to their home. However, once the marriage was made final, they could only separate if the woman was childless. The marriage proceeded as an economic agreement between the two families.
The social system had an ancient origin based on the ayllu, an extended family group with a common ancestor. The economic system was also based on ancient social structures and explained through several principles, reciprocity, redistribution and vertical control.
Redistribution was understood as force or entity governing the Earth's energy and in direct connection with its counter part in the cosmos. The way that the state redirect it over the land ensured that all agricultural goods not exchanged by reciprocity were to be redistributed in different areas of the empire as a back up in case of bad crops. In essence, the government of the Inca functioned as a safeguard against mass starvation.
The most concerning form of religion was based in the worship of the Sun, the patron of the inca state. They dedicated many ceremonies to their ancient divinity and was viewed as a cluster of solar aspects, since the Inca divided his identity according to the stages of the sun. Corresponding to the 3 diurnal stages, the Sun's identity was also divided into 3 primary sub-complexes, which were the Father (Apu Inti), Son (Churi Inti), and Brother (Inti Huaqui). In astronomy, the Father (Apu Inti), and the Son (Churi Inti), were actually separated from one another along an astronomical axis, because they were associated with summer and winter solstices respectively. However, the Brother (Inti Huaqui) was not associated with an astronomical location because his specific position was in the realm of the living as the founding power of the Inca reign and the center of the state's official ancestor cult.
The Incas set aside large quantities of natural resources throughout the empire for Inti (Sun). Each assimilated province was suppose to dedicate a 3rd of their lands and herds to Inti (Sun) as mandated by the Inca. Each major province had a Sun Temple in which male and female priests would serve. The female priests (Mama-Cuna) were chosen from the group separated by birth (Aclla-Cuna) and trained in their sacred arts, and they weaved special cloth and brew a sacred fermented beverage (chicha) made from corn, purple corn, grapes, cassava, or various other fruits, for festivities and rituals to Inti (Sun).
In the Coricancha, the chief Temple of the Inca state religion in Cuzco, the heart of the world, were wall niches in which the bodies of previous emperors and rulers were placed along with various statues of Inti (Sun) that were presented as if they were alive in certain festivals. They were settled in very specific and exact cosmological time in order to communicate the 3 different realms from which the harmony of their whole world depended. The image of Inti was depicted in human form with a hollowed out midsection that was filled with a concoction made of gold and the hearts' ashes of the ancestral Sapa Incas. The image also was adorned with ear spools, a pectoral, and a royal headband and the image projected from its form felines and serpents.
The festival of Inti Raymi (Sun Festival) was attended by the four sectors of the Tahuantinsuyo. It was held during the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year. This fell around June 24 in the Inca empire.
Priests, Officials and Vassals who attended were dressed in their best costumes and carried their best tools. Preparation for the festival began with a fast of 3 days where there was no fire lit and the people refrained from having sexual intercourse. This festival lasted 9 days, and during this time people consumed massive amounts of food and drink. They were many sacrifices as well, which were performed on the 1st day. After the nine days everyone was allowed to leave with the permission of the Inca.
The diet of the People of the Andes consisted primarily of fish and vegetables, supplemented less frequently with the meat of cuyes (guinea pigs) and camelids.
The Inca cultivated food crops on dry soil over the Pacific coastlines, also high on the slopes of the Andes, and in the lowland Amazon rain forest. In mountainous environments, they made extensive use of terraced fields which not only allowed them to use the mineral-rich mountain soil which other people left fallow, but also took advantage of micro-climates conducive to a variety of crops being cultivated throughout the year. Agricultural tools consisted mostly of simple digging sticks.
They also domesticated and raised llamas and alpacas for their wool and to use them as pack animals. The road system was a key to farming success as it allowed distribution of food over long distances.
It is estimated that the Inca cultivated around 70 crop species. The main crops were potatoes, sweet potatoes, maize, chili peppers, tomatoes, peanuts, oca, quinoa, amaranth, and cotton.
Many of these crops were widely distributed by the Europeans and are now crops worldwide. The tomato sauce, for example, was originated by the Inca people using tomato, red peppers and other spices.
Permanent habitations were as high as 5,300 m / 17,400 ft above sea level in the temperate zones of the high plateaus.
Their methods of unification were based on peaceful assimilation that let them to incorporate a large portion of Western South America, and its central power was centered on the Andean mountain ranges.
At its largest and powerful unification, the Tahuantinsuyo joined Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, North West Argentina, Southern Colombia, and North and Central Chile.
Roads allowed quick movement on foot for the Inca and his people and shelters called Tambos (Inn) were built one day's distance in traveling from each other, so that anyone on campaign could be fed and rested and always have supplies ready as they traveled.
The Chasqui were the messengers of the empire. They were agile an highly trained in mind and spirit and physically fit. They were in charge of carrying the quipu (record made of knotted strings for different things based on the kind, color, # of strings, etc)) and able to pass along oral information that completed the information carried in quipus, to each other and to higher authorities throughout the Inca empire. A quipu could not be read unless the chasqui was there with the rest of the oral part of the message. They also helped the inspector general in keeping track of the people in the empire. they chewed coca leaves for extra energy and cleansing purposes concerning radiation or high altitude diseases.
The Incas revered the coca plant because of its sacred spirit that was able to interact with the elements of the body (fire, air, earth and water) and keep them in balance. Its leaves were used in the exact amount that the body needed to overcome the altitude harmful effects. Inappropriate amounts were lethal altering the organic processes of the physical body, weakening the mental activity and blocking the spiritual connection with the mother earth and the cosmos.
Many discoveries in medicine were made thanks to the properties of plants and herbs as natural anesthetic relievers. They performed successful skull surgeries, by cutting holes in the skull to alleviate fluid buildup and inflammation caused by head wounds. Survival rates were 80 to 90 per cent.
Population estimated for the Tahuantinsuyo ranged from as few as 9 million to more than 37 million. They were typically married at the age of 20 concerning men and at the age of 16 concerning women. Trial marriages were typical. Man an woman agreed to try out for a few years. At the end of this time both were allowed to return to their home. However, once the marriage was made final, they could only separate if the woman was childless. The marriage proceeded as an economic agreement between the two families.
The social system had an ancient origin based on the ayllu, an extended family group with a common ancestor. The economic system was also based on ancient social structures and explained through several principles, reciprocity, redistribution and vertical control.
Redistribution was understood as force or entity governing the Earth's energy and in direct connection with its counter part in the cosmos. The way that the state redirect it over the land ensured that all agricultural goods not exchanged by reciprocity were to be redistributed in different areas of the empire as a back up in case of bad crops. In essence, the government of the Inca functioned as a safeguard against mass starvation.
The most concerning form of religion was based in the worship of the Sun, the patron of the inca state. They dedicated many ceremonies to their ancient divinity and was viewed as a cluster of solar aspects, since the Inca divided his identity according to the stages of the sun. Corresponding to the 3 diurnal stages, the Sun's identity was also divided into 3 primary sub-complexes, which were the Father (Apu Inti), Son (Churi Inti), and Brother (Inti Huaqui). In astronomy, the Father (Apu Inti), and the Son (Churi Inti), were actually separated from one another along an astronomical axis, because they were associated with summer and winter solstices respectively. However, the Brother (Inti Huaqui) was not associated with an astronomical location because his specific position was in the realm of the living as the founding power of the Inca reign and the center of the state's official ancestor cult.
The Incas set aside large quantities of natural resources throughout the empire for Inti (Sun). Each assimilated province was suppose to dedicate a 3rd of their lands and herds to Inti (Sun) as mandated by the Inca. Each major province had a Sun Temple in which male and female priests would serve. The female priests (Mama-Cuna) were chosen from the group separated by birth (Aclla-Cuna) and trained in their sacred arts, and they weaved special cloth and brew a sacred fermented beverage (chicha) made from corn, purple corn, grapes, cassava, or various other fruits, for festivities and rituals to Inti (Sun).
In the Coricancha, the chief Temple of the Inca state religion in Cuzco, the heart of the world, were wall niches in which the bodies of previous emperors and rulers were placed along with various statues of Inti (Sun) that were presented as if they were alive in certain festivals. They were settled in very specific and exact cosmological time in order to communicate the 3 different realms from which the harmony of their whole world depended. The image of Inti was depicted in human form with a hollowed out midsection that was filled with a concoction made of gold and the hearts' ashes of the ancestral Sapa Incas. The image also was adorned with ear spools, a pectoral, and a royal headband and the image projected from its form felines and serpents.
The festival of Inti Raymi (Sun Festival) was attended by the four sectors of the Tahuantinsuyo. It was held during the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year. This fell around June 24 in the Inca empire.
Priests, Officials and Vassals who attended were dressed in their best costumes and carried their best tools. Preparation for the festival began with a fast of 3 days where there was no fire lit and the people refrained from having sexual intercourse. This festival lasted 9 days, and during this time people consumed massive amounts of food and drink. They were many sacrifices as well, which were performed on the 1st day. After the nine days everyone was allowed to leave with the permission of the Inca.
The diet of the People of the Andes consisted primarily of fish and vegetables, supplemented less frequently with the meat of cuyes (guinea pigs) and camelids.
The Inca cultivated food crops on dry soil over the Pacific coastlines, also high on the slopes of the Andes, and in the lowland Amazon rain forest. In mountainous environments, they made extensive use of terraced fields which not only allowed them to use the mineral-rich mountain soil which other people left fallow, but also took advantage of micro-climates conducive to a variety of crops being cultivated throughout the year. Agricultural tools consisted mostly of simple digging sticks.
They also domesticated and raised llamas and alpacas for their wool and to use them as pack animals. The road system was a key to farming success as it allowed distribution of food over long distances.
It is estimated that the Inca cultivated around 70 crop species. The main crops were potatoes, sweet potatoes, maize, chili peppers, tomatoes, peanuts, oca, quinoa, amaranth, and cotton.
Many of these crops were widely distributed by the Europeans and are now crops worldwide. The tomato sauce, for example, was originated by the Inca people using tomato, red peppers and other spices.
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
THE SUPERNATURAL POWER OF THE KINGDOM OF CUZCO.
The Kingdom of Cuzco is traced to the Valley of Cuzco, the central region of Peru on the Andes Mountains, the longest continental mountain range in the world, along the Western coast of South America, being about 7,000km/4,300mi long, and 200 to 700km/120 to 430mi wide, and from 4,000 to 7,000m/13,000 to 22,000 ft in height. The Andes are also part of the American Cordillera, a chain of mountain ranges that consists of an almost continuous sequence of mountain ranges that form the Western Backbone of North America, Central America, South America, and Antarctica.
The Kingdom of Cuzco was founded by the first Inca, Manco Capac, and began as a city-state formed by pastoral people. It became the worthy metropolis of a great and flourishing monarchy and stood on a beautiful Valley on an elevated region of the Plateau, enjoying a genial and salubrious temperature. Towards the North it was defended by a spur of the great Cordillera; and the city was traversed by a River over which bridges of timber, covered with heavy slabs of stone, furnished a mean of communication with the opposite banks. The streets were long and narrow; the houses low, and some made of clay and reeds. The health of the city was promoted by spacious openings and squares, in which numerous population from the distant country assembled to worship the Sun (Inti) and celebrate the cosmic seasons belonging to him through earthly festivals. Cuzco was the 'Holy City,' and the great Temple of the Sun. The Inca referred to their empire as Tahuantin-Suyo which meant 'The Four united Power.'
According to the oral tradition, it was a time when the ancient races were all plunged in deplorable barbarism; they worshipped nearly every object in nature indiscriminately; made war their pastime, and feasted on the flesh of their slaughtered captives. The spirit of the Sun, the great luminary and parent of mankind, taking compassion on the degrading condition of mankind, sent two of his children, Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, to gather the people into communities, and teach them the arts of civilized life. The celestial pair, brother and sister, husband and wife, advanced along the plains in the neighborhood of Lake Titicaca. They bore with them a golden wedge, and were directed to take up their residence on the spot where the sacred emblem should without effort sink into the ground. They proceeded accordingly and as far as the Valley of Cuzco the sacred emblem sank into the earth and disappeared for ever. Here the children of the Sun established their residence, and soon entered upon their beneficent mission. Manco Capac teaching men the arts of agriculture and Mama Ocllo the mysteries of weaving and spinning. The simple people lent a willing ear to the messengers of heaven, and, gathering together in considerable numbers, laid the foundations of the city of Cuzco.
Under the leadership of Manco Capac, the Kingdom of Cuzco began its power, together with the same wise and benevolent maxims, which regulated the conduct of the first Incas, descended to their successors, and under their scepter a community gradually extended itself along the broad surface of the table-land, a land formation in the Andes, asserting its spiritual superiority over the surrounding tribes. In time, either by peaceful assimilation or warfare, it grew and formed the largest Inca Empire in South America before the arrival of the Europeans that came to the Americas in search for new lands since theirs were already corrupted and in decadence. Then the Inca Empire held a mystical fascination for the people who went back to their homelands. The fabulous wealth in gold and silver and other metals possessed by the Inca Empire was the booty for people coming from European lands. Then, using the Christian faith as panacea, systematically pillaged and plundered the wealth of the Empire, and the booty they carried to their lands altered forever the whole European economic system. The wealth of the Incas became the healthy blood they needed in order to survive against all the plagues that they were suffering because of their barbarian way of exercising the power between the crowns who owned Europe at that time of history.
The far-reaching expansion of the Incas began under the command of Sapa Inca (paramount leader) Pacha-Cutec (Earth Shaker), the 9th Inca. He and his son Tupac Yupanqui incorporated a large portion of the Andes Mountains under Inca control, and its power was best centered on the Andes.
The face of the conquered land was a challenge in every aspect of the everyday life. The sandy strip along the coast where rain rarely fell, fed only by a few streams of water, furnishing a remarkable contrast to the vast volumes of water rolling down the Eastern sides of the Andes into the Atlantic Ocean. The precipitous steeps of the Mountains, with its splintered sides of porphyry and granite, and its higher regions wrapped in snows that never melted under the fierce sun rays, unless it happened from its own volcanic fires. All the communications between the parts of the long-extended territory of the empire had to be done overcoming the savage face of the region, broken up by precipices, furious torrents, and impassable broken paths. The Andean people were sufficient enough to overcome all these impediments of Nature and become what they were, the most powerful empire in South America and probably over the earth, taking in consideration the challenges that Nature put over them.
Pacha-Cutec reorganized the Kingdom of Cuzco into the Tahuantinsuyo, which consisted in a harmonized and central government with the Inca at its head and four cardinal governments with strong leaders: Chinchay-Suyo (North West), Anti-Suyo (NE), Conti-Suyo (SW), and Colla-Suyo (SE).
They symbolized in a way the power of the four elements -Fire, Earth, Air and Water living in harmony over the Inca land and its people.
The etymology of the word 'Andes' derives from the Quechua word 'Anti,' which means 'East' as in Anti-Suyo (Quechua for 'East Region'), one of the four Regions of the Inca Empire.
The topographical aspect of the land of the Incas is very remarkable. The Andean geography has a geological time from about 252 to 66 million years ago in which forces and events leading to a large structural deformation of the Earth's crust and uppermost mantle happened due to the interaction between tectonic plates. The Andes, an orogenic belt of mountains along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of volcanic activity that encompasses the Pacific as well as the Asia-Pacific region, developed as the result of the broken up of the outermost shell of the planet into tectonic plates. The compression of the Western rim of the South American Plate due to the sub-duct of the Nazca Plate and the Antarctic Plate caused the rise of the Andes.
At the period of the European invasion, the Inca Empire stretched along the Pacific over the boundaries of today modern republics of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Argentina.
The date usually assigned for these extraordinary events before the invasion of the Europeans requires but little reflection to show its improbability, even when divested of supernatural accompaniments.
On the shores of Lake Titicaca extensive ruins exist at the present day, older than the pretended advent of the Incas. The date of their appearance, indeed, is manifestly irreconciliable with their sunseqwuent story. No account assigns to the Inca dynasty more than 13 princes before the European invasion.
But this number is too small to have spread over four hundred years.
We may reasonable conclude that there existed a race advanced in civilization before the time of the Incas; and, in conformity with nearly every oral tradition, we may derive this race from the neighborhood of Lake Titicaca; a conclusion strongly confirmed by the imposing architectural remains which still endure, after the lapse of so many years, on its borders.
The Kingdom of Cuzco was founded by the first Inca, Manco Capac, and began as a city-state formed by pastoral people. It became the worthy metropolis of a great and flourishing monarchy and stood on a beautiful Valley on an elevated region of the Plateau, enjoying a genial and salubrious temperature. Towards the North it was defended by a spur of the great Cordillera; and the city was traversed by a River over which bridges of timber, covered with heavy slabs of stone, furnished a mean of communication with the opposite banks. The streets were long and narrow; the houses low, and some made of clay and reeds. The health of the city was promoted by spacious openings and squares, in which numerous population from the distant country assembled to worship the Sun (Inti) and celebrate the cosmic seasons belonging to him through earthly festivals. Cuzco was the 'Holy City,' and the great Temple of the Sun. The Inca referred to their empire as Tahuantin-Suyo which meant 'The Four united Power.'
According to the oral tradition, it was a time when the ancient races were all plunged in deplorable barbarism; they worshipped nearly every object in nature indiscriminately; made war their pastime, and feasted on the flesh of their slaughtered captives. The spirit of the Sun, the great luminary and parent of mankind, taking compassion on the degrading condition of mankind, sent two of his children, Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, to gather the people into communities, and teach them the arts of civilized life. The celestial pair, brother and sister, husband and wife, advanced along the plains in the neighborhood of Lake Titicaca. They bore with them a golden wedge, and were directed to take up their residence on the spot where the sacred emblem should without effort sink into the ground. They proceeded accordingly and as far as the Valley of Cuzco the sacred emblem sank into the earth and disappeared for ever. Here the children of the Sun established their residence, and soon entered upon their beneficent mission. Manco Capac teaching men the arts of agriculture and Mama Ocllo the mysteries of weaving and spinning. The simple people lent a willing ear to the messengers of heaven, and, gathering together in considerable numbers, laid the foundations of the city of Cuzco.
Under the leadership of Manco Capac, the Kingdom of Cuzco began its power, together with the same wise and benevolent maxims, which regulated the conduct of the first Incas, descended to their successors, and under their scepter a community gradually extended itself along the broad surface of the table-land, a land formation in the Andes, asserting its spiritual superiority over the surrounding tribes. In time, either by peaceful assimilation or warfare, it grew and formed the largest Inca Empire in South America before the arrival of the Europeans that came to the Americas in search for new lands since theirs were already corrupted and in decadence. Then the Inca Empire held a mystical fascination for the people who went back to their homelands. The fabulous wealth in gold and silver and other metals possessed by the Inca Empire was the booty for people coming from European lands. Then, using the Christian faith as panacea, systematically pillaged and plundered the wealth of the Empire, and the booty they carried to their lands altered forever the whole European economic system. The wealth of the Incas became the healthy blood they needed in order to survive against all the plagues that they were suffering because of their barbarian way of exercising the power between the crowns who owned Europe at that time of history.
The far-reaching expansion of the Incas began under the command of Sapa Inca (paramount leader) Pacha-Cutec (Earth Shaker), the 9th Inca. He and his son Tupac Yupanqui incorporated a large portion of the Andes Mountains under Inca control, and its power was best centered on the Andes.
The face of the conquered land was a challenge in every aspect of the everyday life. The sandy strip along the coast where rain rarely fell, fed only by a few streams of water, furnishing a remarkable contrast to the vast volumes of water rolling down the Eastern sides of the Andes into the Atlantic Ocean. The precipitous steeps of the Mountains, with its splintered sides of porphyry and granite, and its higher regions wrapped in snows that never melted under the fierce sun rays, unless it happened from its own volcanic fires. All the communications between the parts of the long-extended territory of the empire had to be done overcoming the savage face of the region, broken up by precipices, furious torrents, and impassable broken paths. The Andean people were sufficient enough to overcome all these impediments of Nature and become what they were, the most powerful empire in South America and probably over the earth, taking in consideration the challenges that Nature put over them.
Pacha-Cutec reorganized the Kingdom of Cuzco into the Tahuantinsuyo, which consisted in a harmonized and central government with the Inca at its head and four cardinal governments with strong leaders: Chinchay-Suyo (North West), Anti-Suyo (NE), Conti-Suyo (SW), and Colla-Suyo (SE).
They symbolized in a way the power of the four elements -Fire, Earth, Air and Water living in harmony over the Inca land and its people.
The etymology of the word 'Andes' derives from the Quechua word 'Anti,' which means 'East' as in Anti-Suyo (Quechua for 'East Region'), one of the four Regions of the Inca Empire.
The topographical aspect of the land of the Incas is very remarkable. The Andean geography has a geological time from about 252 to 66 million years ago in which forces and events leading to a large structural deformation of the Earth's crust and uppermost mantle happened due to the interaction between tectonic plates. The Andes, an orogenic belt of mountains along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of volcanic activity that encompasses the Pacific as well as the Asia-Pacific region, developed as the result of the broken up of the outermost shell of the planet into tectonic plates. The compression of the Western rim of the South American Plate due to the sub-duct of the Nazca Plate and the Antarctic Plate caused the rise of the Andes.
At the period of the European invasion, the Inca Empire stretched along the Pacific over the boundaries of today modern republics of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Argentina.
The date usually assigned for these extraordinary events before the invasion of the Europeans requires but little reflection to show its improbability, even when divested of supernatural accompaniments.
On the shores of Lake Titicaca extensive ruins exist at the present day, older than the pretended advent of the Incas. The date of their appearance, indeed, is manifestly irreconciliable with their sunseqwuent story. No account assigns to the Inca dynasty more than 13 princes before the European invasion.
But this number is too small to have spread over four hundred years.
We may reasonable conclude that there existed a race advanced in civilization before the time of the Incas; and, in conformity with nearly every oral tradition, we may derive this race from the neighborhood of Lake Titicaca; a conclusion strongly confirmed by the imposing architectural remains which still endure, after the lapse of so many years, on its borders.
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
THE SPIRIT OF COLCA AND COTAHUASI CANYONS.
In the Arequipa Region in Southern Peruvian Andes is host to some truly astounding geological and geographical formations, the Colca and Cotahuasi Canyons, each twice as deep as America's famous Grand Canyon. These are claimed to be the two deepest canyons in the planet, and a fine specimen of Arequipa's lava-sculpted topography. Arequipa, a beautiful city of Southern Peru, is one of the 3 largest cities in the country, and the ideal vantage point from which to take a tour to the canyons.
Each independently stunning, the Colca Canyon is famed for the huge Andean condors flying high above it, and the vast reserve that the Valley produce to be kept in warehouses for times of drought; and the Cotahuasi Canyon mixes glaciers with hot spas, juxtaposes millennia-old rock carvings and gold mines.
During the Inca administration there was a lot of prosperity in the agricultural and farming Villages of the Colca Valley. They built large warehouses for the conservation of corn and processed meat (jerky), fish, manufactured goods, clothing, and dried food, among other products for use in times of hardship, natural disasters, or drought. Cosequently, the name of the Valley 'Colca' is meant for having been the pantry of the Andes. Today the descendants of these people stand out as being primarily an agricultural community, who still maintain the ancient terraces and use them for the currently production of goods. For example, the corn grown in Cabana-Conde (Maiz Cabanita) is prized for its sweetness, softness, and nutritive value. In antiquity herds of llamas and alpacas came from Puno and Cuzco to barter in exchange for the famous Cabana-Conde corn.
The Town of Chivay, capital of the Caylloma Province, that lies upstream of the Colca Valley, and located at about 12,000 ft above sea level, is the local jumping off point for visitors going to the Colca, but tours and local buses also depart from Arequipa, where also rental cars are available.
The small rim-side Village of Cabana-Conde is also a good spot for a short, tough hike down into the canyon itself. Thermal Springs are located 3 km from the Chivay Town. The town also is a popular staging point for tourists visiting the Condor Cross, where condors can be seen catching thermal uplifts a few kilometers downstream.
The archaeological sites include the Caves of Molle-Punco above Callalli where rock is said to be 6,000 years old and depict the domestication of the alpaca; the mummy of Paracra, above Sibayo; the Fort of Chimpa, a reconstructed mountaintop citadel that looks down on Madrigal; Inca and pre-Inca settlements throughout the Valley, and many others.
The most distant source of the Amazon River, the world longest River (6,785 km), that crosses 3 South American countries, Peru, Colombia, and Brazil, before it ends in the Atlantic Ocean, originates from a cliff at the Glacier Mismi (5,597m/18,363ft), one of the highest peak of volcanic origin in the Colca Canyon. It is accessible from the Colca Valley via Tuti, a one-day trip to a spring at 5,120m / 16,800ft, where snow-melt from the Mismi bursts from a rock face. The waters then flow into the streams of the Carhua-Santa River and then joins with the Quebrada Apacheta, becoming the Yoqueta River. The River has several more name changes before it becomes the Apu-Rimac River.
The Nevado Mismi is a 5,597m/18,363ft mountain peak located in the Chila Mountain Range which lies in the Arequipa Region in the Provinces of Castilla and Caylloma, 160 km West of Lake Titicaca and 700 km South East of Lima, capital of Peru.
The Cotawasi Canyon, the deepest canyon in the world, is the preferred destination of thrill-seekers and extreme outdoor recreation enthusiasts. It is formed by the flow of the Cota-Huasi River as it carves its way between the Copuna and Solimana peaks, each of which towers over the ravine at more than 20,000 ft above the sea level. At its deepest point, the canyon cuts roughly 3,535 m (11,560 ft) into the earth.
The Cota-Huasi Canyon is located about 200 km (124 mi) from Arequipa in the heart of the Southern Andes. From Arequipa, there is just one road to the canyon, through the mountains, and it is accessible by bus or minibuses. It is a 10-12 hours trip from Arequipa to the small town of Cota-Huasi.
Three buses companies serve the area and typically they depart from Arequipa around 5pm to arrive in Cota-Wasi around 5am the following day.
The Death Bull Petro-glyphs are located near the small Town of Corire en route to Cotahuasi. These ancient cave paintings are estimated to be more than 10,000 years old. Archaeologists have catalogued nearly 5,000 depictions of birds, animals, and humans etched into the white volcanic rock that protrude from the mountain sides. To visit the petro-glyphs, any of the three bus companies will make a stop in Corire, which is about 3 hours from Arequipa. From Corire, a 2 km (1.2 mi) trail leads to a checkpoint where visitors sign in and pay a small fee.
The magnificent Sipia Waterfall pours off the water off the edge of the cliff, crashing at an impressive 150 m (492 ft) below. It is one of the Cota-huasi Canyon's most scenic attraction. The Waterfall is accessible either by foot or by road and is located about 10 km (6 mi) from the town of Cota-Huasi.
The Lui-Cho Thermal Baths are known for the cleansing and therapeutic qualities of its sulfuric waters.
They are the product of the geothermal activity that boils beneath the earth's surface. The thermal activity of the Volcanoes in the vicinity heats the Bath's waters to temperatures between 33*C to 38*C (90*F to 100*F). The Baths are located about 17 km (10.5 mi) from the Town of Cota-Huasi in the small Village of Alca. A small fee is collected upon entry.
Each independently stunning, the Colca Canyon is famed for the huge Andean condors flying high above it, and the vast reserve that the Valley produce to be kept in warehouses for times of drought; and the Cotahuasi Canyon mixes glaciers with hot spas, juxtaposes millennia-old rock carvings and gold mines.
During the Inca administration there was a lot of prosperity in the agricultural and farming Villages of the Colca Valley. They built large warehouses for the conservation of corn and processed meat (jerky), fish, manufactured goods, clothing, and dried food, among other products for use in times of hardship, natural disasters, or drought. Cosequently, the name of the Valley 'Colca' is meant for having been the pantry of the Andes. Today the descendants of these people stand out as being primarily an agricultural community, who still maintain the ancient terraces and use them for the currently production of goods. For example, the corn grown in Cabana-Conde (Maiz Cabanita) is prized for its sweetness, softness, and nutritive value. In antiquity herds of llamas and alpacas came from Puno and Cuzco to barter in exchange for the famous Cabana-Conde corn.
The Town of Chivay, capital of the Caylloma Province, that lies upstream of the Colca Valley, and located at about 12,000 ft above sea level, is the local jumping off point for visitors going to the Colca, but tours and local buses also depart from Arequipa, where also rental cars are available.
The small rim-side Village of Cabana-Conde is also a good spot for a short, tough hike down into the canyon itself. Thermal Springs are located 3 km from the Chivay Town. The town also is a popular staging point for tourists visiting the Condor Cross, where condors can be seen catching thermal uplifts a few kilometers downstream.
The archaeological sites include the Caves of Molle-Punco above Callalli where rock is said to be 6,000 years old and depict the domestication of the alpaca; the mummy of Paracra, above Sibayo; the Fort of Chimpa, a reconstructed mountaintop citadel that looks down on Madrigal; Inca and pre-Inca settlements throughout the Valley, and many others.
The most distant source of the Amazon River, the world longest River (6,785 km), that crosses 3 South American countries, Peru, Colombia, and Brazil, before it ends in the Atlantic Ocean, originates from a cliff at the Glacier Mismi (5,597m/18,363ft), one of the highest peak of volcanic origin in the Colca Canyon. It is accessible from the Colca Valley via Tuti, a one-day trip to a spring at 5,120m / 16,800ft, where snow-melt from the Mismi bursts from a rock face. The waters then flow into the streams of the Carhua-Santa River and then joins with the Quebrada Apacheta, becoming the Yoqueta River. The River has several more name changes before it becomes the Apu-Rimac River.
The Nevado Mismi is a 5,597m/18,363ft mountain peak located in the Chila Mountain Range which lies in the Arequipa Region in the Provinces of Castilla and Caylloma, 160 km West of Lake Titicaca and 700 km South East of Lima, capital of Peru.
The Cotawasi Canyon, the deepest canyon in the world, is the preferred destination of thrill-seekers and extreme outdoor recreation enthusiasts. It is formed by the flow of the Cota-Huasi River as it carves its way between the Copuna and Solimana peaks, each of which towers over the ravine at more than 20,000 ft above the sea level. At its deepest point, the canyon cuts roughly 3,535 m (11,560 ft) into the earth.
The Cota-Huasi Canyon is located about 200 km (124 mi) from Arequipa in the heart of the Southern Andes. From Arequipa, there is just one road to the canyon, through the mountains, and it is accessible by bus or minibuses. It is a 10-12 hours trip from Arequipa to the small town of Cota-Huasi.
Three buses companies serve the area and typically they depart from Arequipa around 5pm to arrive in Cota-Wasi around 5am the following day.
The Death Bull Petro-glyphs are located near the small Town of Corire en route to Cotahuasi. These ancient cave paintings are estimated to be more than 10,000 years old. Archaeologists have catalogued nearly 5,000 depictions of birds, animals, and humans etched into the white volcanic rock that protrude from the mountain sides. To visit the petro-glyphs, any of the three bus companies will make a stop in Corire, which is about 3 hours from Arequipa. From Corire, a 2 km (1.2 mi) trail leads to a checkpoint where visitors sign in and pay a small fee.
The magnificent Sipia Waterfall pours off the water off the edge of the cliff, crashing at an impressive 150 m (492 ft) below. It is one of the Cota-huasi Canyon's most scenic attraction. The Waterfall is accessible either by foot or by road and is located about 10 km (6 mi) from the town of Cota-Huasi.
The Lui-Cho Thermal Baths are known for the cleansing and therapeutic qualities of its sulfuric waters.
They are the product of the geothermal activity that boils beneath the earth's surface. The thermal activity of the Volcanoes in the vicinity heats the Bath's waters to temperatures between 33*C to 38*C (90*F to 100*F). The Baths are located about 17 km (10.5 mi) from the Town of Cota-Huasi in the small Village of Alca. A small fee is collected upon entry.
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