Threads of Incan Mythology

by Clements Robert Markham (Translator), Philip Ainsworth Means

THE NATIVES of the land of Cuzco affirm that in the beginning there was a being who created the world. Owing to this he was called Viracocha Pachayachachi, which means "Creator of all Things." Viracocha ordered the people to live without quarrelling, and that they should know and serve him. This they kept to, but eventually the vices of pride and covetousness arose among them. Thus he confounded and cursed them and over all there came a great flood which they call uñu pachacuti, which means "water that overturns the land." The Incas say that it rained 60 days and nights and that it drowned all created things. Most of the world's great civilisations have their own versions of how the world was created and most have a tale of the great flood. From Ancient Egypt to Assyria, India, the Chinese, the Celts, the Mayans and so too the Incas of Peru. That there are so many similarities in these stories from disparate nations around the world is truly amazing. This small volume contains selected translations of Incan Mythology, mainly carried out by Sir Clements Markham. Within you will find the Incan creation stories as well as stories of the "Coming of the Incas", "The First Settlers of the Valley of Cuzco", "Fables of the Second Age of Creation", "The Festival of the Sun", "Incan Prayers to Viracocha" and more. 33% of the Publisher's profit from the sale of this book will be donated to Project Peru which runs a refuge in Zapallal, north of Lima. Project Peru is committed to those living in poverty and denied so much. It is their objective to return to the people of Peru, dignity through self-sufficiency and security through co-operation (www.ProjectPeru.org.uk)

92 pages, Paperback

First published June 17, 2011

About the author

Sir Clements Robert Markham KCB FRS was an English geographer, explorer and writer. He was secretary of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) between 1863 and 1888, and later served as the Society's president for a further 12 years. In the latter capacity he was mainly responsible for organising the National Antarctic Expedition of 1901 - 04, and for launching the polar career of Robert Falcon Scott.