Religion among the
Inca was highly formalized, based on obedience of laws. It was a very
serious matter and any disobeyed laws were not accepted. An annual cycle
of religious festivals was regulated by the extremely accurate Inca calendar.
Inca ceremonies and rituals, monthly and frequently elaborate, primarily
centered on agricultural and health concerns, particularly the growing
and harvesting of food crops and cures for various illnesses. At especially
important ceremonies live animals were sacrificed. The Incas also practiced
human sacrifices, though only on occasions such as an emperor's coronation
or in times of crisis. The Inca produced a rich body of folklore and music,
of which only fragments survive.
This
golden lama was often used for religious events.
|
The
supreme Incan deity was Viracocha, creator and ruler of all living
things.
Another important deity was the Sun god, Inti, whom Incan emperors were believed to have descended from. Gold, the symbol of the Sun god, was extensively mined for use by the rulers and members of the elite for decorative and ritual purposes. Religious practices included the consultation of oracles, the offering of sacrifices, religious trances, and public confessions. Other major deities were the gods of the stars, and weather and the goddesses of the moon, earth, and sea. Like many cultures, the Incas had great respect for their dead ancestors. They believed the dead were still part of the community. As such, the living tried to include their ancestors in important celebrations and ceremonies. When important family members died, their bodies were mummified and preserved. To maintain the goodwill of these ancestors, their mummified bodies were presented with fine clothes, offerings of food and drink, and were sometimes even provided with houses and palaces complete with servants. At important events, they were carried through the streets in processions, seated on golden chairs, and then taken to be feasted and entertained.
|
The Incas also believed that there was a heaven, a hell, and a resurrection of the body after death.