I am currently reading about the Inca Ice Maiden. How was she sacrificed?

The Inca Ice Maiden was found on the Peruvian volcano of Ampaton in 1995. A CAT scan revealed definite evidence of a blow to the head. However, there are few signs of violence or force, which would suggest that she might have been a sacrifice to the gods.

Who was Chac in Mayan mythology?

Chac was very important to the ancient Maya, since they considered him the god of rain and lightning and they needed rain to grow their crops. Chac has a combination of fish and reptile features. His body is covered with fish scales, and he has a long nose and catfishlike whiskers. In some paintings, he holds an axe made of lightning or a netted bag for fishing. He rules over all bodies of water and is believed to live in caves, where underground springs and rivers are often found.

What is quinoa? Who ate it?

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa or KEE-noo-ah) is a grain that was considered sacred by the Incas, a people who lived in the Andes Mountains of Peru. Quinoa has an excellent balance of protein, fat, oil, and starch. Today, it is sold in thousands of supermarkets throughout the United States.

Did the Maya have a moon goddess?

Yes - she was portrayed as a beautiful young woman. Often she is depicted on painted pottery holding a rabbit in her arms and sitting in a crescent moon. The rabbit is the Maya's animal symbol for the moon. Many peoples both in Asia and the Western Hemisphere interpret a pattern of shadows on the face of the full moon as the shape of a rabbit.

Who was the Maya god of the underworld?

The Jaguar God. As the god not only of the underworld, but also of night, caves, hunting, and war, he was very powerful. Beautiful and dangerous creatures, jaguars inhabited the jungles where the Maya lived in Central America, and they were feared and respected. The Jaguar God has several forms, including the Jaguar God of the daytime sun and the Jaguar Paddler God, one of several "Paddler" gods who guide other gods and supernatural beings through the waterways of the underworld in canoes. The Jaguar God's strength, stealth, and hunting ability must have impressed the Maya, since many of their rulers wore jaguar skins as a symbol of their power and leadership skills.

Who is Itzamna?

Itzamna is the name of the Maya creator god. The Maya depicted him as an old, wrinkled man and may have considered him their first priest. Itzamna was credited with the invention of writing and medicine. According to myth, he ruled over the other Maya gods and wore a black disc on his forehead, which may have represented an obsidian mirror to tell the future. He was sometimes portrayed as a small alligator, as a fish, or as a lizard, and was associated with water. His name was derived from the Maya word itzam, which means "iguana" or "whale."

Why were the Incas called "children of the sun god"?

The Incas told a story that the sun god sent his son, Manco Capac, and his daughter, Mama Ocllo, to earth to instruct the people of Peru in the arts of farming, weaving, making pottery, cooking, astronomy, and all the other skills that would help them live a better life. The Inca rulers believed that their ancestors were the offspring of the sun and called themselves "children of the sun." These rulers also thought of themselves as the sun god's representatives on earth, and the people worshiped them as the sun's direct descendants.

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