Hello all
UK: Interesting post do you recall the name of the book? One thing to realize there are hundreds of sites dedicated to Pachamama. Here is a picture of one walled enclosure on an island of lake Titicaca. It is facing two mountain peaks. The snow capped mountain on the left is dedicated to Pachamama and the other mountain is for Pacha Kamaq. The mind boggles what treasure was in this sacred enclosure many centuries ago.The koricancha in Cuzco however was the greatest temple of them all.
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lilorphanannie: Yes I can confirm with utmost confidence of your statement about La Paz being orginally a placer deposit. I have a 1851 newspaper story somewhere telling about finding big gold nuggets in La Paz.
Crow
Hi Crow
Can't remember if it was definitely this book, but give it a try anyway;
Incidents of Travel & Exploration in the Land of the Incas - G E Squier - 1877
The book itself was/is about 600-700 pages long and I remembered the story after you posted the one about the site in Bolivia. Have rectified the error of not making notes about particular stories, dates, people in order to make research easier. Will do so from now on which will make referencing and cross-checking less guesswork and more definitive.
Another reoccuring theme I recall from many of the books I've read/am reading, there were many national and local shrines dedicated to the Sun, and to a lesser extent, the moon. The Incas worshipped the Sun as a life-giver, yet the Chimus hated the sun due to their location on the desert coast, and instead had the moon as their main focus.
The Koricancha was the "Special One" as far as the Inca were concerned but the Spanish made a big error; whilst holding the Inca Atahualpha hostage, a delegation were sent to strip the temple of its wealth and there was an 'outsiders' garrison stationed in Cuzco awaiting Inca Atahualpa and his entourage for his official coronation. The troops stationed there, were in the main, from the north and not "proper" Incas. They were commanded by a great Inca general by the splendid name of QuizQuiz. He knew the score with the Spanish and had to standby while the lowest rung on Spanish society stripped the capital and the temple of its wealth. One can only recoil at the level of indignation.
Anyway, they stripped and pillaged to their hearts content, and then headed back to Cajamarca with the caravan of spoils. During the journey, they said that they could not believe what they had espied with their own eyes; the level of wealth and how it was not valued in the same way as the Spanish (up until that time) by the natives, was a sight to behold. That is why when they went back and reported this to Pizarro, they were all for murdering the Inca and making ready to sack Cuzco proper. When they did eventually return some months later, the vast majority had suddenly disappeared.
Again, another story pops into mind based at the time of Peruvian independence. A native leader who rose-up against the authorities at the time, needed funds to purchase arms and provisions for his men. An elder in the community said that he would get him what he needed - funds. The leader was blind-folded and taken by escort out of Cuzco along the river Huatanay (I think), and was taken to a secret location within a cave system, where when he was allowed to remove the blind-fold, saw a veritable treasure-trove of life sized golden objects and all manner of items. He was only allowed to remove what he could carry and needed for his followers. He was then blind-folded and taken back to Cuzco. The book I read was again by a traveller ( I am really sorry that I cannot give you precise details due to not noting it at the time), but the travelling author met the widow of the native leader and she confirmed the details and I believe presented some sort of evidence for him to view.
Truly amazing place Peru, and indeed much of South and Central America for that matter.