What was the religion of the ancient Incas?

With the continuous development of archaeological research in South America, people gradually unveiled the mystery of ancient Inca civilization.

In the 6th century, there were about 65,438+000 tribes living in the Andes and coastal areas, among which four tribes were the most important: Aymara, Mochika, Puchina and Quechua. Puchina and Aymara tribes are active in the area around Lake Titicaca, while Moxica tribes occupy the northern coastal areas of Peru. Compared with them, the Quechua tribe living in Cuzco Valley is undoubtedly very primitive. But this unwilling tribe quickly absorbed the achievements of other cultural centers, thus developing rapidly and sprouting the source of Inca culture.

/kloc-In the 3rd century, the Inca tribes in the Quechua tribe group began to rise and established a slave country. Inca countries are ruled by big chiefs, who have peaceful product exchange and social interaction with neighboring tribes and countries. With the growing strength of the country, the Inca countries began to write their own history of conquest.

According to legend, Manqu Qhapaq, the great chief of the Inca kingdom, led the army, crossed the Lilio Plateau, conquered Corea, and first occupied the Cuzco Valley; Sapa Inca led the army across the Priimak River to Moquegua and Arepa in Peru today. After that, mayta qhapaq was a brave soldier. He led his people to Bolivia today and took control of the Nazca people along the coast.

From 65438 to 0438, PaCeacu Ti (also known as PaCeacu Ti Kutek) came to power. The most famous monarch in the history of the Inca kingdom was the ninth ruler. Outstanding achievements were made in foreign expansion, especially in leading the army to conquer Abankai, eliminating the base areas where the Changka invaded the Inca, and achieved a decisive victory, clearing the way for the Inca kingdom to go out of the Cuzco Valley and expand to the Andes. It is said that PaCeacu had an ear cut off by the enemy in this conquest. He thought one of the ears was ugly, so he ordered a craftsman to build a golden ear shell and put it on. Later, he thought a person was too conspicuous, so he ordered all nobles to wear gold ear shells. After defeating the Changka tribe, he led the army to conquer Katia Maka, Nazca, Lima and Chimu. His conquest of the south and the north expanded the Inca territory and finally completed the transformation from the early slave kingdom to the empire. After PaCeacu, mayta qhapaq, the Inca king, began to expand northward, gained Quito, and pushed southward to the Maulai River in today's central Chile.

After nearly a hundred years of fighting, the Inca tribes conquered all the tribes in the central Andes and established a huge centralized empire. /kloc-At the beginning of the 6th century, the Inca Empire took Peru as the center, extended to most parts of Ecuador, Bolivia and northwest Argentina in the north, the Maurai River in central Chile in the south, the jungle area of the Amazon River in the southeast and the Pacific Ocean in the west, covering an area of more than 2 million square kilometers and a population of more than 6 million. Because the Inca Empire was an unprecedented powerful empire in America, it was later called "Rome in the New World". Therefore, the Incas became "Romans of the New World".

Religion played an important role in the lives of people of all ethnic groups in the Inca Empire. The Incas worshipped their ancestors, the forces of nature and the sun god. The rulers of the Inca Empire imposed the Sun God, the chief god of the Inca tribes, on the people of all ethnic groups in the Andes, demanding their belief and worship, and at the same time allowing them to retain and inherit various religious beliefs of various tribes and villages or families.

The remnants of totem worship are the oldest. The Incas worshipped some sacred grasses, trees and animals. The main animals are leopards, as well as vultures, eagles and apes in South America. Some villages are named after animals. The religious embodiment of plants, first of all, is the corn god and the potato god, because these two crops have played an important role in Inca life.

Waka worship is also the most common and primitive religion. Waka worship is closely related to ancestor worship, which transforms clan ancestor gods into commune land gods and general local protection gods. Harmony songs are places that worship holy places or sacred objects, or can arouse people's reverence and remind people of legendary historical events, such as mountains, stones, rivers, lakes, springs and caves. Some places are considered as the origin of a tribe or village community, so when people pass by, they all sing lamentations and pray. Some Waka worship has become a custom and has been preserved to this day. If a certain place on a certain road is considered to be the location of the land god, pedestrians will add a stone to the pile of stones accumulated for many years when passing through it, so that the land god can bless the pedestrians with a safe journey. Other places, such as bridges, rivers, rocks, or the cemetery of legendary hero leaders, have also become the objects of Waka's worship. For example, some stones on the mountain near Cuzco are considered as sacred objects that once became human beings to help PaCeacu defeat the Changka people, so these stones became worshipped gods. There is a grotesque stone on Wanacori Mountain in Cuzco. People think that it was changed by the legendary Inca sister's brother Kaqi, and this stone has become a sacred symbol of the Inca youth's adult ceremony. The Paakkari Temple Cave near Cuzco is also worshipped as Waka, because it is the birthplace of legendary Inca leader Manqu Qhapaq.

Inca people's worship of mummies is also very popular, which is inseparable from ancestor worship. People often bury mummies in graves carved out of rocks. Mummies are dressed in costumes and jewels, with daily necessities, food and labor tools beside them. The Incas worshipped the mummies of their rulers with great devotion. All the mummies of the Inca king were carefully preserved. They are worshipped in the temple. In grand festivals, priests will take them to parade to show their holiness. The Incas believed that the mummy of the king had supernatural power, so people often took these mummies to the battlefield when they went out to show the strength of their ancestors and believed that the war would be won.

The Incas are also keen on the worship of natural forces, and all kinds of stars and constellations are regarded as gods. The Incas also worshipped the earth and the sea. Legend has it that two snake-shaped mythical figures can contact several different worlds in the universe. A snake named Yakumama. On the ground, it becomes a river, and after heaven, it becomes lightning. It is considered as the water god, and it is very powerful. Another snake named "Sachamama" has two heads. It can walk upright and slowly, like an old tree. In the sky, it becomes a rainbow and a prolific god. Both gods were warmly worshipped by the Incas.

The worship of Mother Earth has a profound influence and is deeply rooted. Mother Earth's name is Mama Pacha. In Chichua, Pacha is land, and today the Indian tribe in Ecuador is called "Igui". The worship of Mother Earth is local. Everywhere, people regard Mother Earth as the mistress of nature. No matter the harvest of the land, the reproduction of camels and the prosperity of the economy, it depends on her. On special festivals, people make corn and potatoes into women-like shapes as their protectors.

Whether it is totem worship, Waka worship, mummy worship, or Mother Earth worship. They all have the same attributes, are local primitive religions, are the embodiment of local tribal consciousness, and are also the potential consciousness of the people in the Andes. They had a lasting influence in the process of Inca's transformation to a unified empire.

The sun god was originally the god of the Inca tribe, and later became a national god. It has several different names in Inca: Inti, Veracocha and Pachamak. The image of the sun god is generally human, with a face like a golden plate and radiant. The three names of the sun god reflect the constant politicization of people's worship of it. Manqu Qhapaq, the legendary ancestor of the Incas, was created by the sun god on Sun Island. He is the "son of the sun" and the messenger of God. He enjoys the title of Inca and has the highest power. This is the beginning of the development of worship of the sun god to the sanctification of kingship.

/kloc-The 4th century, that is, the reign of PaCeacu, was the institutionalized stage of worship of Inca sun gods and deification of kingship. "Pacha" means time in Quechua, and "Kuti" means change, so the name Pacha Kuti itself contains the meaning of reformer. PaCeacu himself carried out religious reform, established new gods and further deified kingship. This may also be the result of resolving the religious power conflict between the royal power and the sun priest, because it is said that the priest in charge of the sun god tried to limit the royal power. PaCeacu does not deny worshipping the sun god. But he preached that all gods were created by invisible, eternal and omnipotent gods. "The sun god works very well. He gets up early in the morning, warms the earth and retreats at night. But if there is no God, the great Pachamark, who will command the sun god? " In this way, Cusco also gained supreme status and new significance. PaCeacu turned the Sun Temple in Cuzco into the temple of the whole Inca, added a new god, PaCamak, and established a political system of deifying kingship.

The movement of increasing new gods in PaCeacu may also be the result of compromise between kingship and local nobles. According to legend, after he conquered the tribes in the Lubei Valley of Peru, he discovered a huge tribal god, which is a holy place for people to worship. He knew that in order to consolidate the kingship, especially Sapa's kingship, the god of this holy land must be brought into his own state religion. Therefore, he gave this god a Quechua name and kept it in the palace and temple.

Inca worship of the sun god is related to ancestor worship. The myth of Inca origin, which is widely circulated by Incas, retains traces of ancestor worship. According to the myth of Inca origin, the Inca ancestors were gods, and the Inca dynasty was founded by four brothers, Aillard and four sisters, Mama, the "sons of the sun". The four men and four women came from Pacatampri, 35km southeast of Cuzco. They decided to find a fertile land to establish the Sun Kingdom on behalf of their father and protector. The names of these four brothers have different meanings: Elad Manco is the leader, Elad Wuqiu symbolizes the land where peppers grow, Elad Oka is a rebel who resists authority, and Elad Kaqi symbolizes the coast with salt flats. The names of the four sisters also have different meanings: Mama Vuolio is a fertile mother and a housewife who takes care of the family; Mama huaco stands for masculine and responsible women; Mother Cora is the name of a weed that grows in the eastern forest; Mama Lava stands for corn, the most planted crop in the Andes. All eight brothers and sisters will go to Wanacori, where the sun gives them corn. According to myths and legends, Allard Kaqi is the most powerful man. He cut the mountain with a single knife and split the ridge along the way. His brothers were jealous of his strength and framed him. At first, Kachi was introduced into a cave, and then a huge stone rolled down to seal the hole. Kachi condemned his brother's frame-up and prayed to the creator of heaven and earth to save him. Later, the God who created heaven and earth turned him into an eagle, let him escape from the cave, flew to the top of Wanacori, and turned him into a rock. This stone is one of the most sacred wakas worshipped by Inca youth. Another brother, Aillard Wuqiu, was turned to stone because he read the holy things. That leaves Manco and Orca to go to Cuzco. They have a golden scepter given by the sun god, which is a sacred object to open the road to Cuzco. On the way to Cuzco, Manco tried many times to insert the golden staff into the ground, but all failed, which caused Orca to despise and resist Manco. Manco sat patiently and let his brother laugh at him until the golden staff was inserted into the ground, which was a damp place suitable for people's life and plant growth-Cuzco. Later, Manco pulled out the golden staff from the ground, broke Orca's head and made him obey the will of the sun god and Manco. Finally, Aillard Manco married his sister Mama Vuolio, Manco became the ancestor of Cusco and the ruler of the Inca dynasty, and Vuolio became the female ancestor of the Inca dynasty. The myth of Inca origin shows the close relationship between sun worship and ancestor worship through the discovery process of Cusco.

Inca worship of the sun god is also closely related to the worship of natural forces. For people living in the Andes, the rising sun will create a beautiful clear sky, bring people beautiful enjoyment, and give people unlimited light and heat, which is exactly what the Incas pray for. How much they hope that the earth will always be under the sun. At dusk, the afterglow of the sun often sinks into the vast sea, which naturally causes the Incas to say goodbye. So it is a natural choice for Incas to worship the sun.

The Incas celebrated the sun god with four religious festivals. The first festival was held at the vernal equinox, and it was called "Remi", which was the day when the royal family offered sacrifices to the gods. The second festival, called "West Tutsi", is held in the autumn equinox. On this day, Quechua people got up in the middle of the night to make a fire, and then went to take a bath to atone. The third festival, called "Remy Inti", is held during the summer solstice. On this day, the whole country will worship the sun god. In the morning, people wait for the sunrise and cheer to pay tribute to the rising sun. The ceremony was presided over by the Inca king, attended by courtiers, priests and residents, and held a feast with camel meat and corn wine. The last festival, called "amora Yi", is held on the solstice in winter to offer sacrifices to the sun god. The king occupies an important position in ancestor worship activities. At dawn, the king dressed as an angel of the sun, holding a golden spear in his right hand, which symbolizes the commander-in-chief of the Inca army. He set out from Warmanburg, Welissa Gonzaga, ran down the hillside and came to the central square. Four princes waved spears to meet him there, waiting for the king to issue the order of the race road, which symbolizes that evil will be expelled from the whole country. All four princes are racing on the way to an administrative district. After running more than 1 km, pass the spear to the other three people, and so on, until running more than 30 km like a relay race. Finally, a person inserts a spear into the ground, symbolizing exorcism.

The basic content of Inca religious ceremonies is sacrifice and sacrifice. Dolphins and alpacas are mainly used as sacrifices in festivals, and living people are used as sacrifices in special occasions, such as celebrating the accession to the throne of the new Inca king, encountering earthquakes, droughts and infectious diseases, wars and the expedition of the Inca king. Living sacrifices mainly come from children sent by prisoners of war or conquered tribes as tributes. The ceremony was mysterious and solemn, with a horrible atmosphere and a strong superstitious color.

The mysterious Inca civilization, like all American civilizations, involves the existence of alien civilizations. And their endings are the same, and their glory suddenly disappears after a period of time. Leave one mystery after another for future generations to guess and imagine. ...