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Inca Gods
Viracocha created the Earth, Sky and the people. He did not create the Sun in the beginning, however. The people defied Viracocha so he decided to kill them all. A great flood "the Unu Pachakuti" came and only a male and female who hid in a box survived. The Box was carried by the waters to Tihuanaco where they receded. Viracocha forgave the two survivors and created many more different tribes of people from clay. He gave them breath and life, their languages and
songs, and seeds for them to plant and sow.
Viracocha spread these nations of people through out the world through underground passages. It was still dark, however, so Viracocha created the Sun, Moon and stars which he sent into the heavens from Lake Titicaca.
According to Inca tradition, Viracocha had white skin, and was bearded which explains why some of the Indians at first thought that the bearded, pale-skinned Spanish soldiers were representatives of their creator god.
- Viracocha (Huiracocha, Old Man of the Sky, Wiraqocha Pachayachachi, and Lord Instructor of the World). Great God without beginning or end. Viracocha's first creation was a dark world inhabited by giants that he had fashioned from stone. These creatures proved disobedient, however, and Viracocha destroyed them. He was thought of in human form. He was associated with gold, called "the sweat of the sun," and the Incas honored him with magnificent golden artworks. Giver of the arts of civilization. Sun, storm, lightning, oracles, languages, moral codes, rain, water, and fertility.
Gods & Goddesses
- Chasca (The long-haired Star (Venus)). Goddess who cared for princesses, girls and flowers.
- Illapa (Storm and Weather god). Shown as a man with war club and sling. The Incas saw the Milky Way, the band of stars that arc across the sky, as a heavenly river. Illapu's sister stored the river's water in a jug until it was needed on the earth. When Illapu struck the jug with a bolt of lightning from his slingshot, making the sound of thunder, he broke the jug and released the rain.
- Chiqui Illapa (the Thunder God). He was seen as a man in the sky holding a great war club in one hand and a sling in the other. The lightning is said to be the sling stones that he casts, and the Milky Way (called the Celestial River by the Incas) was the source he drew from to create rain. Since he was the god of rain, Chiqui Illapa, also called Inti.
- Illapa, was worship the god the Incas worshiped for rain.
- Cuichu (the Rainbow).
- Mama Kilya. Inti's wife. Her shrine in the Coricancha had walls of silver, a metal that was sacred to her because it was believed to be her tears.
- Mama Cocha (Mother Sea). Worshipped especially on the Peruvian coast. Fishing.
Mama Quilla (Mother Moon). She was depicted as a silverdisk with a human face. Wife of Inti. She was not worshipped by many, and was connected with the calendar and festivals. Protectress of women, the calendar, religious festivals.
- Supposedly, the Incas believe that the spots on the moon are from when a fox fell in lover with her, and when he went up to into the sky to steal her away, she squeezed him against her and created the park patches visible today.
- Manco Capac (Sun god). Youngest son of the Sun. Founder of Cuzco. Magick.
Pachacamac (Lord of the Earth). Pictured as a tall white man who worked miracles, also said to create earthquakes. Sacrifices of animals and humans were performed every year to him. The arts, occupations and oracles.
- Pachacuti (Built the foundation of the empire).
- Sinchi Roca (The Stone Ruler).
- Supai (God of the Underworld and Death). One-hundred children were sacrificed every year to him. He was considered a greedy god, always wanting to increase the number of his followers.
Urcaguary (God of Underground Teasures). Represented as a snake with a deers head and a tail decorated with gold chains.
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