Peruvian antiquities / by Mariano Edward Rivero and John James von Tschudi ; translated by Francis L. Hawks.

Mariano Eduardo de Rivero y Ustariz

Date:: 1854

Credit: Peruvian antiquities / by Mariano Edward Rivero and John James von Tschudi ; translated by Francis L. Hawks. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$Quepas, Mullu-Cayan and Cota-Tumac in the ruins of Cocha- llipiac, Umy in the seat of Chincas, Yusca in the town of Gayna; as also the Huacas Xampay, Atahuanca, Pariacaca, Huanchorhuillcci, Hananllauiu, Qumcanllautu, Caxaparac, jSian-Achcay, Chauca, Churaquella, Taucatanca, and many others which it would be useless to enumerate: and it is probable that all those mentioned by authors constitute but a small fraction of the sum total of them, since each town had its protecting God, and sometimes several, as they had been more or less celebrated, and more or less venerated in the surrounding country. They generally worshipped on the islands of the coast, Huacas, whom they pretend to have been creators of the huanu, [Guano], and at the season of corn gathering they went with rafts and barges carrying chicha, midhi, paria and other articles of sacrifice, and asked leave to bring away the huanu. We must also remark, that several nations worshipped different animals: thus the Collas rendered worship to sheep entirely white, as in Siam was done to elephants of the same color: the Huancas worshipped dogs, the Antis large ser- pents {Amarii), and tigers (uturunca), etc. Individual and family Deities or household Gods were innumerable; each house and individual possessed its charac- teristic and tutelar divinity. Among the former, those deserving of special mention, were the so-called Mallquis, or manaos, which were the entire bodies of the ancestors re- duced to a mummy or skeleton state, which the descendants piously preserved in the Machatjs or tombs, arranged in such a manner that they might easily see them and offer them sacrifices; at the same time, they gave them food and drink, for they interred with them vessels and dishes which they filled from time to time with food. They also placed at the side of the departed, in the sepulchres, arms, utensils, and other$