The mysterious Inca Empire is a source of endless fascination to many, representing the largest and most elaborate society of pre-Columbian
"But long before the west coast of South America was ruled by the Incas, an even more enigmatic society inhabited the Andes, and we're still finding fragments of their ancient story today.
This older empire was called the Tiwanaku polity (previously known as the Tiwanaku state). At their peak, they may have only numbered 10,000 to 20,000 people.
"Our research shows that the Tiwanaku people, who developed in Lake Titicaca between 500 and 1100 CE, were the first people to offer items of value to religious deities in the area."
Capriles and his team used sonar and underwater 3D photogrammetry to scan and map the reef during a 19-day research visit to Lake Titicaca in 2013.
Dredging the sediment in the lake, they found puma-shaped incense burners, with fragments of charcoal present on the excavated deposits, and a number of gold, shell, and stone ornaments.
The puma is thought to have been an important religious symbol for the Tiwanaku, and a rayed-face motif depicted on two gold medallions suggests that the offerings were intended to explicitly address the main mythical figure in their religious iconography, sometimes called Viracocha."
"Viracocha was the supreme god of the Incas. He is also known as Huiracocha, Wiraqoca and Wiro Qocha. Considered the creator god he was the father of all other Inca gods and it was he who formed the earth, heavens, sun, moon and all living beings. When he finished his work he was believed to have travelled far and wide teaching humanity and bringing the civilised arts before he headed west across the Pacific, never to be seen again but promising one day to return." Source
AKA "These other names, perhaps used because the god's real name was too sacred to be spoken, included Ilya (light), Ticci (beginning), and Wiraqoca Pacayacaciq (instructor)."
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I'd like a source from a South American academic or archeologist on Viracocha. I know that early Christians would adapt the stories of earlier gods as part of colonization. I try to be very careful when learning symbolism and meaning.
The source above (World History dot org) also tells that man was Viracocha's second creation. The first creation being Giants who were punished and destroyed by flood. Hmmmm. The article doesn't reference their sources. ??? I may edit this post later.
