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of the sun, thus semi-divine. The hierarchy of power within the Inca Empire was solely determined by

religious veneration. Under the Sapa Inca and the true Incas, there was a hierarchy of priests and priestesses,

with the Villac Umu, or high priest, at the very top. After the clergy came nobles, then curacas, who were

administrators, and then finally the commoners. The commoners were composed of allyus, or family units.

The family unit that one was born into was the family unit that they died within, unless their position within

the hierarchy changed at some point, but that was uncommon. The allyu’s position was determined by the

descent of the founding ancestor.

On a local level, the people of the Inca Empire were involved in cults of ancestor worship, as well as

cults that strongly emphasized water. Physical places that were significant to both the locals and rulers of the

empire were known as huacas, which are sacred sites, or spiritually powerful places. The size of a huaca

directly relates to its power, and mountain peaks were considered to be the most powerful. Besides offering a

metaphysical representation of the reproduction of humans, animals and plant life, the huacas were thought to

protect the people, and were consequently guarded by spirits, both animalistic and ancestral. Deities were

given offerings and worshipped at the huacas as well. Within the Inca religion, the two main deities were that

of Inti, who was the Sun God that protected and matured crops, and Viracocha, who was the Creator God, and

is said to be the divine ancestor of the Inca dynasty. Pachamama, who is constituted as the earth mother, is a

major deity that is still culturally significant to the people of the Andes. Other minor deities include Illapa,

who was the God of Thunder, Mamaquilla, who is the Goddess of the Moon, and some say Venus was

significant to a majority of the populace.

Another concept that is integral to understanding the Inca religion is that of the Chakana. The Quechua

word Chakana directly translates to, “to bridge or to cross,” which contributes to its designation as the Inca

cross. The Chakana has a plethora of meanings that transcend national and geographic boundaries. Some of

these connotations include, but are not limited to: the duality of opposites and unifying symbols, the mandala,

which is representative of the universe, the seasons and months of the year, the four elements of life, and even

the three commandments of the Incas-- thou shall not lie, steal or be lazy. The Chakana is also considered to

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