Inka Human Sacrifice and Mountain Worship: Strategies for Empire Unification

Glossary of Andean Names and Terms

268 _ Glossary of Andean Names and Terms The following words have a Quechua origin, unless otherwise noted. In spelling them, I have generally used a phonemic alphabet. ají (word of Taino origin): capsicum or chile pepper (Betanzos 1996, 315; Cobo 1990, 261; MacCormack 1991, 457; Silverblatt 1987, 227). amaru: a snake (Guaman Poma 1980c, 1075; Holguín 1952, 24). Anti Suyu: the northeastern quarter of the Inka Empire (Betanzos 1996, 305; Cobo 1990, xii/map 1; Hyslop 1990, 241; John Rowe 1946, 262). apachita: a large pile of stones located at the top of a pass or where a road reaches its highest point. As apachitas were considered sacred, offerings were left at them (Guaman Poma 1980c, 1076; Holguín 1952, 30; John Rowe 1946, 297; for a different definition, see Cobo 1990, 261). apu: a lord or powerful person. The title is often applied to high mountains that are venerated (Betanzos 1996, 315; Cobo 1990, 261; Isbell 1980, 249; Reinhard and Ceruti 2010, 231). Apu Panaka: an imperial official whose job it was to pick girls to become aqllas or “chosen women” (Cobo 1990, 261; John Rowe 1946, 269). aqlla-kuna: the “chosen women”; virgin girls who served the imperial gods and the state (Cobo 1990, 261; Holguín 1952, 15; John Rowe 1946, 269; Silverblatt 1987, 227). aqlla wasis: houses of the chosen women (Holguín 1952, 15, 169). aqsu: a long wraparound dress that was worn by Inka women (Guaman Poma 1980c, 1076; Holguín 1952, 17; Ann Rowe 1995–1996, 12). Atawalpa: the last Inka king. He was captured by the Spanish in 1532 and executed the following year (Betanzos 1996, 203–75; Cobo 1979, 163–71; John Rowe 1946, 208–9). Awqay Pata: the main plaza in the center of Cuzco. Its name translates as Glossary of Andean Names and Terms 269 “square of celebration” (Hyslop 1990, 37; MacCormack 1991, 458; John Rowe 1946, 298). ayllu: an Andean kin group, the members of which were believed to have a common ancestor. An ayllu controlled its own land (MacCormack 1991, 457; Olsen 1994, 386; Silverblatt 1987, 227). ayni: a balanced form of reciprocity (Holguín 1952, 40; Silverblatt 1987, 227). chakra: a plot of land or field that was cultivated (Cobo 1990, 262; Guaman Poma 1980c, 1078; Holguín 1952, 91). chaski: a runner who carried messages from the Inka king to officials in the provinces. The chaskis operated as part of a relay system and were stationed about 1 km apart (Betanzos 1996, 316; Cobo 1979, 264; Holguín 1952, 98). chicha (word of Panamanian origin?): beer made from maize (Cobo 1990, 262; MacCormack 1991, 457; Silverblatt 1987, 227). Chinchay Suyu: the northwestern quarter of the Inka Empire (Cobo 1990, xii/map 1; Holguín 1952, 111; Hyslop 1990, 241; John Rowe 1946, 262). chipana: a wide plain bracelet, often made of silver or gold; such adornments were worn by the nobility, usually on their right forearms (Ann Rowe 1995–1996, 30; also see Cobo 1990, 262; Guaman Poma 1980a, 67, 88, 138, 140, 216, 220, 232, 235, 292, 318, 334). chumpi: a belt that was worn by Inka women (Guaman Poma 1980c, 1080; Holguín 1952, 121; Ann Rowe 1995–1996, 23). ch’uñu: freeze-dried potatoes (Cobo 1990, 262; Guaman Poma 1980c, 1081; Holguín 1952, 121). ch’uspa: a man’s cloth bag, which generally had a long strap attached to it so that it could be worn over the shoulder. The principal purpose of such bags was to carry coca leaves (Guaman Poma 1980c, 1081; Holguín 1952, 125; Ann Rowe 1995–1996, 30; also see Guaman Poma 1980a, 67, 123, 138, 230, 292, 316, 318). coca (kuka): a plant, Erythroxylon coca, whose leaves were chewed with lime to release a mild narcotic (Betanzos 1996, 316; Cobo 1990, 262–63; Guaman Poma 1980c, 1085). corpa (korpa): a large piece of ore, which was sometimes worshipped (Cobo 1990, 45). Cuzco: the capital of the Inka Empire. Located in the highlands of southern Peru, at an altitude of about 3,400 m, it was considered sacred (Cobo 1979, 185; Hyslop 1990, 29; John Rowe 1946, 262, 296). dúo (word of Taino origin): a low stool or bench that was emblematic of high status (Betanzos 1996, 316; Cobo 1990, 263). guayra (wayra): a brazier used to smelt ore, which was sometimes venerated (Cobo 1990, 45). 270 glossary of andean...