XXXI.
PACHACUTI INCA YUPANQUI REBUILDS THE HOUSE OF THE SUN AND ESTABLISHES NEW IDOLS IN IT.
Having adorned the city of Cuzco with edifices, streets, and the other things that have been mentioned, Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui reflected that since the time of Manco Ccapac, none of his predecessors had done anything for the House of the Sun. He, therefore, resolved to enrich it with more oracles and edifices to appal ignorant people and produce astonishment, that they might help in the conquest of the whole land which he intended to subdue, and in fact he commenced and achieved the subjugation of a large portion of it He disinterred the bodies of the seven deceased Incas, from Manco Ccapac to Yahuar-huaccac, which were all in the House of the Sun, enriching them with masks, head-dresses called chuco, medals, bracelets, sceptres called yauri or champi[82], and other ornaments of gold. He then placed them, in the order of their seniority, on a bench with a back, richly adorned with gold, and ordered great festivals to be celebrated with representations of the lives of each Inca. These festivals, which are called purucaya[83], were continued for more than four months. Great and sumptuous sacrifices were made to each Inca, at the conclusion of the representation of his acts and life. This gave them such authority that it made all strangers adore them, and worship them as gods. These strangers, when they beheld such majesty, humbled themselves, and put up their hands to worship or mucha as they say. The corpses were held in great respect and veneration until the Spaniards came to this land of Peru.
[Note 82: Champi means a one-handed battle axe (Garcilasso de la
Vega, I. lib. ix. cap. 31). Novices received it at the festival of
Huarachicu, with the word Auccacunapac, for traitors.]
[Note 83: According to Mossi puruccayan was the general mourning on the death of the Inca.]
Besides these corpses, Pachacuti made two images of gold. He called one of them Viracocha Pachayachachi. It represented the creator, and was placed on the right of the image of the Sun. The other was called Chuqui ylla, representing lightning, placed on the left of the Sun. This image was most highly venerated by all. Inca Yupanqui adopted this idol for his guauqui[84], because he said that it had appeared and spoken in a desert place and had given him a serpent with two heads, to carry about with him always, saying that while he had it with him, nothing sinister could happen in his affairs. To these idols the Inca gave the use of lands, flocks, and servants, especially of certain women who lived in the same House of the Sun, in the manner of nuns. These all came as virgins but few remained without having had connexion with the Inca. At least he was so vicious in this respect, that he had access to all whose looks gave him pleasure, and had many sons.
[Note 84: Huauqui, brother.]
Besides this House, there were some huacas in the surrounding country. These were that of Huanacauri, and others called Anahuarqui, Yauira, Cinga, Picol, Pachatopan[85] [to many they made the accursed sacrifices, which they called Ccapac Cocha, burying children, aged 5 or 6, alive as offerings to the devil, with many offerings of vases of gold and silver].
[Note 85: Anahuarqui was the name of the wife of Tupac Inca
Yupanqui. Yauira may be for Yauirca, a fabulous creature described by
Yamqui Pachacuti. Cinga and Picol do not occur elsewhere. Pachatopan is
no doubt Pacha tupac, beautiful land.]
The Inca, they relate, also caused to be made a great woollen chain of many colours, garnished with gold plates, and two red fringes at the end. It was 150 fathoms in length, more or less. This was used in their public festivals, of which there were four principal ones in the year. The first was called RAYMI or CCAPAC RAYMI, which was when they opened the ears of knights at a ceremony called huarachico. The second was called SITUA resembling our lights of St John[86]. They all ran at midnight with torches to bathe, saying that they were thus left clean of all diseases. The third was called YNTI RAYMI, being the feast of the Sun, known as aymuray. In these feasts they took the chain out of the House of the Sun and all the principal Indians, very richly dressed, came with it, in order, singing, from the House of the Sun to the Great Square which they encircled with the chain. This was called moroy urco[87].
[Note 86: The months and the festivals which took place in each month are given by several authorities. The most correct are those of Polo de Ondegardo and Calancha who agree throughout. Calancha gives the months as received by the first Council of Lima.
22 June—22 July. INTIP RAYMI (Sun Festival). 22 July—22 Aug. CHAHUAR HUARQUIZ—Ploughing month. 22 Aug.—22 Sept. YAPAQUIZ (SITUA or Moon Festival)—Sowing month. 22 Sept.—22 Oct. CCOYA RAYMI—-Expiatory feast. Molina a month behind. 22 Oct.—22 Nov. UMA RAYMI—Month of brewing chicha. 22 Nov.—22 Dec. AYAMARCA—Commemoration of the dead. 22 Dec.—22 Jan. CCAPAC RAYMI (HUARACHICU festival). 22 Jan.—22 Feb. CAMAY—Month of exercises. 22 Feb.—22 March. HATUN POCCOY (great ripening). 22 March—22 April. PACHA POCCOY (MOSOC NINA festival). 22 April—22 May. AYRIHUA (Harvest). 22 May—22 June. AYMURAY (Harvest home).]
[Note 87: The great chain, used at festivals, is called by Sarmiento Muru-urco. See also Molina. Muru means a coloured spot, or a thing of variegated colours. Molina says that it was the house where the chain was kept that was called Muru-urco, as well as the cable. Huasca is another name for a cable (See G. de la Vega, ii. p, 422).]