Severed heads among discovery at Sacsayhuamán

En Peru 'blog ^ | November 13, 2009 | unattributed

[SunkenCiv]

Above the Inca capital of Cusco (Q'osco) sits the important ceremonial site and one of human-kinds most impressive constructions called Sacsayhuamán, which despite its global fame still offers up secrets to investigators. Yesterday the discovery was announced of three burials, one of which contained the severed heads of the Inca's enemies.

The discovery was made within the archaeological park of Sacsayhuamán in the area of Qowikarana, under threat from illegal settlements of the city's poor.

Chief on-site archaeologist Washington Camacho explains that three separate burials were found -- one of an older man buried with a ceremonial knife, one of a young boy, and a third that is altogether more interesting.

In a giant urpu or raqui, Quechua for a large ceramic vessel, were three severed heads, accompanied by a pair of tikachamas (smaller vessels) and cochas (ceremonial plates).

The archaeologist explains the current hypothesis based on what we know about Inca society. Camacho explains that after some of the more difficult or notable battles, the Incas would decapitate their enemies to later use their heads as offerings in religious rituals... The area in which these discoveries were made is under serious threat as migrants to the city of Cusco illegally construct their homes within the protected area... and has now been covered by shanty town, destroying or obstructing 95% of the area.

[SunkenCiv]

(ANDINA / F. Zora-C.)

[SunkenCiv]

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[SunkenCiv]

whoops (regarding the topic title). Related story gleaned from the same visit to the Archaeologica news page:

• Stanford archaeology workshop recreates the world of Incan pottery

[Monkey Face]

Jeeze, SC...how can anyone “recreate” something they know nothing about?

OK. I’m a skaptak! (In Valleyspeak)

[guitarplayer1953]

Is that a bong in the right hand picture?

[bigheadfred]

Is that a bong in the right hand picture?

I thought it looked like a fish. Like a lamp.

I didn't think people who sat around smoking pot were really into chopping off heads.

But that doesn't really explain the Manson Family, either.

YES, IT'S A BONG!

Thanks for the ping, Civ. It is too bad enroachmenters are destroying the site.

[guitarplayer1953]

According to Catholic writing they supposedly ate bunches of shrooms and then started the slaughter.

[bigheadfred]

And that is mondo bizarro cause shrooms never made me want to slaughter, how about you?

Must be some kind of sick power trip.

[guitarplayer1953]

All I could ever do was yawn and trip and fell like a rubber band. I never thought about getting violent it would seem that doing so would bring out all the dark negative colors.

[bigheadfred]

Now if they said they they went nutso after drinking fermented llama milk or something, yeah, I could see that.

[guitarplayer1953]

Never drank that stuff and it may of been an exaggeration on the priest part saying that they got whacked out on shooms and did sacrifices.

[Oshkalaboomboom]

I thought Inca was more like a family name and the people were the subjects. Like President Bush, but not everyone in America was called the Bush civilization. So what did the Inca call the Incas?

[JoeProBono]

Sacsayhuaman,

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Sacsay !"

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

[SunkenCiv]

The Inca was the leader, but the term has always been applied to his entire culture because A) the real name probably is difficult to pronounce, or B) there was no one name, because the Incan empire was polyglot (as are all of ‘em).

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks JPB.

[AuntB]

Only 3 decapitations! Mexico beats that any day of the week now.

Keyword: beheading - recent headlines

Cartel slayings on the rise in Houston

Mexican senator defends migrants

Mexico’s Drug War: 10 headless bodies found in Guerrero[2 with heads found in Acapulco]

3 heads found along Mexican highway

US delivers vehicles to Mexico-Nicaragua rejects oversite-59 inmates “sprung” Mexico prison

9 killed in 9 hours in Ciudad Juarez

Juarez: Running the Most Dangerous City in the Americas

Mexican gang violence kills 21

Mexico Police Chief’s Head Found in Ice Box

Mexico drug gang likely behind U.S. kidnapping (anti-kidnapping expert abducted in Mexico)

[SunkenCiv]

/bingo