The Inca civilisation in Peru placed great importance on astronomy. They were the only culture in the world to define constellations of both light and darkness. The Incas not only identified constellations and individual stars, but they also assigned each a purpose. They believed that everything in and around our world was connected. It has long been known that astronomy played a central role in the culture, religion, and daily lives of the Inca, who used astronomical events to govern ceremonial occasions and for planning agricultural activities.
Cusco for example lies on a radial plan, mimicking the sky and pointing to specific astronomical events on the horizon.
Similarly to the ancient Egyptians, this was a horizon-based culture. They built carefully placed pillars on mountains and hills overlooking Cusco, so when the sun rose or set between these pillars, they knew they had to plant at a specific altitude.
The Incas are known to have built observatories in many different places where they captured the first and last rays of the Sun through a series of specially placed windows.
Their chief observatory was called the Coricancha (Qurikancha) or ‘golden enclosure’, and was completely covered in gold (inside and outside), revealing their dedication to the Sun God.
Upon looking at the stars, the Inca noticed many animals and other representations from their day to day lives.
They believed that Viracocha had ensured that each animal had a corresponding star and that all living things were protected. Grouping these stars into constellations became very important to the Inca.
In order to establish cities in the middle of the Andean mountain range, the Incas needed great knowledge about the climate, seasonal changes and how they influence agriculture.
This great knowledge allowed them to grow at an accelerated pace, reaching to encompass the territory through 6 current nations, from northern Chile and Argentina, through Peru and Bolivia to Ecuador and Colombia.
In less than 300 years the Incas went from being a small family caste to being the largest empire in the western hemisphere.
The Inca worship of stars and dark constellations shows us that this culture believed everything around them was connected. The sky had a very special meaning in managing this civilisation and impacted daily life.
Even the construction of the famous Machu Picchu site is connected to the stars. Archaeological and ethnological studies suggest that Machu Picchu was a sacred ceremonial site, an agricultural experimentation centre, and an astronomical observatory.
Archaeological and ethnological studies confirm that Machu Picchu was a sacred ceremonial site, a centre of agricultural experimentation and an astronomical observatory.