Inca Religion

The Inca religion was a polytheistic system that included a diverse pantheon of gods and goddesses, as well as stellar deities.

The Inca believed that the world was balanced between opposing forces, and that the balance was maintained through a system of reciprocal exchanges.

Questions

• What was the official religion of the Inca state?
• Who was the principle creator deity of the Inca pantheon?
• What were the two most important gods in the Inca pantheon?
• How did the Inca maintain the balance between opposing forces?

Answers

• The official religion of the Inca state was polytheistic and included a diverse pantheon of gods and goddesses, as well as stellar deities.
• The principle creator deity of the Inca pantheon was called by a series of titles Ilya-Tiqsi Viracocha Pachayacachiq, which means “ancient foundation, lord, instructor of the world”.
• The two most important gods in the Inca pantheon were Inti, the sun god, and Mamaquilla, the moon goddess.
• The Inca maintained the balance between opposing forces through a system of reciprocal exchanges. For example, they believed that they had to give offerings to the gods in order to receive their blessings.