A photo from open sources
PLOS ONE magazine recently published the results of a study international group of scientists led by Marcela Sepulved from Sorbonne University of Paris. The object of research was “bloody idol” Pachacamac – a wooden Peruvian statue almost in two and a half meters high, which the Incas living on this territories before the arrival of the Spaniards, not only deified, but also considered an oracle.
The Inca Sanctuary in Peru is currently the archaeological complex of the same name is located (in thirty kilometers from Lima). The wooden idol itself was discovered here in one of the excavated ancient temples in 1938. His “christened” bloody because of red-brown spots, which, presumably left over from the sacrifices. Determine whether this relic, which, according to legend, was worshiped by the Incas and in which they asked for knowledge of future events, then failed.
A photo from open sources
And the legends said that in 1533 the ancient temple was destroyed Spanish conquistadors led by Hernando Pizarro. Mysterious and the terrible idol Pissarro ordered to smash into pieces in the eyes of local inhabitants, so that they lose all connection with the past and the future. Exactly this legend confused archaeologists in 1938, which is why they could not identify wood artifact.
A new study of international scientists showed that this is the famous oracle idol Pachacamac. Moreover, the researchers determined that the spots on his body have nothing to do with blood is cinnabar, or rather its remains, since in antiquity The statue was completely painted with this mercury mineral. Carbon analysis of the statue showed that it was made at the turn of the eighth and the ninth centuries AD, that is, when the peoples lived here wari. That is, they worshiped an idol even before the Incas.
A photo from open sources
Scientists have also identified a number of interesting details, for example, that cinnabar has never been in this region, which means that the ancient the Indians imported it from somewhere, perhaps from the Andes, which are 400 km from Pachacamac.
There is only one unsolved mystery: why are the Spanish conquistadors failed to destroy this wooden oracle who prevented the Spaniards from implementing the order of Pizarro? There is speculation that the idol himself “made” it, suggesting to the performers that it is better hide than destroy. Obviously, this is almost the case. It was.
Interestingly, the wooden Inca statue retained its property to predict the future? Almost a century after her discovery, she was silent, keeping a secret of her true origin and destination, and suddenly opened to scientists. Maybe this is no coincidence many Internet users ask when they get to know this news? And if so, is it not worth studying wooden idol go even further? ..
The Inca Civilization of Peru
