Principal Beliefs

After Life

Incas believed in afterlife. They cared deeply for their dead, whom they had embalmed before burial, mummified and had placed into tombs. Afterwards, the relatives had brought food and various other objects to their beloveds' resting place.

They believed that the dead could hear them and would use the multitude of objects that were brought there.

The bodies of the dead were also considered to be huacas. After the death of the emperor, the priests would come to their resting place and talk to the dead ruler. It is believed that the priests had the ability to communicate with the souls of the dead rulers, who were in another dimension another world, somewhat like Heaven.

Offerings were periodically brought to the dead ruler's tombs and servants also came to attend.

The Incas had periodically held sacrifices. These were mostly animal sacrifices, but sometimes human too.

Sacred Places

In additions to worshipping the deities, the Inca worshipped the numerous huacas 'sacred places ' which were everywhere throughout the Inca Empire. Mountaintops were huacas, because man could not penetrate them. The emperor's palace, with all his goods, was sealed after his death and became a huaca. Battlefields, caves, springs, quarries, and even the roots were Huacas. When the Inca conquered a village and introduced new huacas, the villagers gladly accepted them.
Many huacas had shelters nearby. A priest lived in the shelter, caring for the shrine and cultivating a small field beside it in honor of the huaca.

Belief System

The belief system of the Incas was polytheistic, this meant that the Incas worshipped many gods and believed that there was a god for every part of the Earth such as the sun, the moon, wind, lightning, rain and all the other elements of the Earth. Although the Incas believed in many gods they believed that their creator was Viracocha. It was believed that Vircocha created the earth and all living creatures and because of this many of the Inca beliefs and faith system is based on what was created by Viracocha.

Although Viracocha was regarded as the creator and the most important god the Inca religion provided many other layers of worship and beliefs. This is the case with what was known as the secondary tier of their religion known as the astral level. This section of the Inca religion involved worshipping gods within the dimension of earth such as the sun, the moon and the stars.

Caves were some of the most sacred sites in the Inca empire. This is because of their origin myth-- that 4 brothers and 4 sisters came out of a cave and journied to Cusco. Along the way, three brothers died, and one brother made it with his sisters to found the city.

Shrines and tombs for the dead emperors.