Literature/202101311220 a new ontology to understand inca cosmology

• Source [@j.mckimmalville2010]
• Tags: #inca-cosmology

To fully understand Inca cosmology or any other system to understand reality we should develop a completely new ontology. For example, in order to understand why and how Inca’s built different huacas. The idea is that if Inca’s viewed sacred places as living organisms, and they removed the duality of live/dead (see: cartesian dualism), then we can see shrines as actual powerful beings, not only places.

In this light, Cusco is actually protected by a belt of huacas that connect to the inner seats of power. This places had running water as a symbolism for a living organism. Although, I believe using the word symbolism is imposing an etnohistoric interpretation that may not be correct. From the perspective that a huaca is an actual living organism, running water may be of vital importance for its survival, in pretty much the same way blood keeps animals alive.

Follow up reading: [@bray2009An Archaeological Perspective on the Andean Concept of Camaquen : Thinking Through Late Pre-Columbian Ofrendas and Huacas]