Inka (All Terms)

From All Skies Encyclopaedia

Inka are peoples in the Americas. This compilation of terms and their spelling variants was compiled by Steven R. Gullberg and Susanne M Hoffmann based on the following literature:

  1. Gary Urton (1981). At the Crossroads of the Earth and Sky: An Andean Cosmology (University of Texas Press)
  2. Steven R. Gullberg (2020). Astronomy of the Inca Empire: Use and Significance of the Sun and the Night Sky (Springer)
  3. Steven R Gullberg and Milton Rojas (2024). Inca Cosmovision: The Astronomical Legacy of an Andean Empire (Springer)
Original Language of Origin Pronounce English Note
Alto pina ch'aska " star which is already high" [i.e., in the zenith] A 1st and 2nd magnitude star or planet in the "zenith" at midnight
Amaru “The Serpent” Scorpius
Amaru contor the serpent changing to the condor Scorpius
Aquayoq and Catuilla a constellation
Arado Spanish plough Scorpius
Atoq The Fox a dark constellation
Boca de Sapo Spanish "mouth of the toad" Hyades
Boleadora a lasso with three balls at the end; also a "thief' Shooting stars
Cabanuelas "small hut, cottage" Pleiades (?)
Calvario Cruz Spanish the cross of Calvary
  • (a) head of Scorpius
  • (b) Betelgeuse, Rigel, Sirius, and Procyon
  • (c) Procyon, Castor, Belt of Orion, 13 T auri
  • (d) Belt of Orion, T Orionis, and Rigel
Ch`aka Tinkucheq Orion's Belt+ Betelgeuse and Rigel
Ch`aska Punchu Chasqa Punchu Poncho of the Stars the seven bright stars of Orion
Ch`askamayu Milky Way
Ch’aska Waraqa stars in the tail of Scorpius
Chacra A cultivation area; Betelgeuse, Bellatrix, Rigel, and Saiph.
Chakana “The Bridge” or "Stars"
  • (1) Orion’s Belt
  • (2) ε, δ, and η Canis Major
Chaqana Ch`akana Southern Cross
Chasca Cuyllor “Morning Star” “Evening Star” Venus
Ch'aska a constellation
Ch'aska plata " silver star" Shooting stars
Chaska Waraqa Mach`aqway the flame in the eyes of llamaqñawin α and β Centauri
Ch'issin ch'aska "evening star" 1st and 2nd magnitude stars and a planet
Choquechinchay "golden cat" Tail of Scorpio (or dark spot inside tail?)
Chuchuqoyllor a constellation
Chuquichinchay a constellation
Contor condor
Coscotoca ch'aska "star of the two equal parts" A 1st and 2nd magnitude star or planet in the "zenith" at midnight
Flagstone Hayquna a constellation
Foot a constellation
Hanp’atu The Toad a dark constellation
Hatun Coyllur "large star" Sirius
Hatun Cruz “The Great Cross”
  • (a) Rigel, Sirius, Procyon, and Betelgeuse
  • (b) Procyon, Castor, η and μ Gemini
Hatun llamaytoq the great large llama a dark streak between the coal-sack and eps Sco
Huaman Qechua Alnitak
Huchuy Cruz Qechua & Spanish “The Small Cross” The Southern Cross
K 'olli ? unidentified small dark spot
Kapuwara Wara a constellation
Khaswa Coyllur "circle dance star(s)"
  • (a) γ, o, κ, λ Vela
  • (b) Corona Borealis (?)
Kotu Sankha Hyades + Aldebaran
Laja Haykuna in Argo Navis, means entry into the darkness
Linun Cruz Spanish Linun = Lat. lignum; "wooden cross" or "the crucifixion cross" head of Scorpius
Llama llama Large dark streak between the Coalsack and ε Scorpii
Llama Cancha "Llama corral"
Llamacñawin “The Eyes of the Llama” α and β Centauri
lllarimi ch 'aska "dawn star" any 1st or 2nd mag star or planet at dawn
Locero moning star, Venus In Yucay, one infonnant talked of pachaypaqa locero ("dawn morning star"); an informant in Lucre called both the morning and evening stars "locero."
Mach`aqway Machacuay the Serpent a dark constellation
Mallki in Aries
Mama Rosario Spanish Mother Rosary unidentified bright nebulosity in the Milky Way
Mamana micuc "(the one who) eats his mother" ξ, π, σ, ν, τ Puppis
Mayu a constellation
Michij runa a shepherd a dark constellation
Ñawin Cristo "the eyes of Christ" α and β Centauri
Ombligo de la llama umbilicus of the llama narrow, curving dark streak from alf Cen south and curving up to tet Sco
Onqoy "Desease", an alternative name for Qollca
Orqorara three stars all the same "Three Marias", Orion's Belt
Orqorara and Ranch a constellation
Pachapacariq Chaska “The Venus of the Western Suyu”
  • (1) Canopus
  • (2) Altair
Pachapacariq ch'aska "dawn of the earth" One Sonqo informant rereferred to pachai/larimi ch'aska ("dawn of the earth star"); it might be any bright object ...
Papa Dios Cruz Spanish "the cross of God the father" head of Scorpius
Passon Cruz Spanish the cross of the Passion
Pisqa Collea the five storehouses between Orion and the Hyades
Pisqa Coyllur the five star(s) Hyades
Posuqu foam bright stellar clouds in the southern Milky Way
Puma Yunta in Gemini - eyes Castor and Pollux
Qatachillay Catachillay “Female Llama with Lamb” Altair and Deneb
Qollca Collca “The Storehouse”
Qoqamanqa pot of coca a constellation
Qosqo and Qurawasi Crossover Stars a constellation
Quntur Qechua condor Mintaka
Qutu pile Pleiades
Santissima Cruz Spanish “The Sacred Cross”   α, β, δ, π, and σ Scorpii
Saramanqa pot of maiz (corn) a constellation
Sonaja tambourine, rattle Corona Borealis
Sullu ullucu aborted ullucu
Suyuntu and Huaman a constellation
Suyuntuy Qechua Alnilam
Torito Spanish " little bull" A star or planet in the "zenith" at midnight; torito is also the name of the " rhinoceros beetle" (Dynastinae)
Uñallamacha The Baby Llama a dark constellation
Urpi dove coalsack
Urquchillay Urcuchillay “Llama of Many Colors” Lyra
Yaqana Yacana The Llama a dark constellation
Yaqumama a constellation
Yuthu Yutu The Tinamou
  • (1) Coalsack, SE of Southern Cross
  • (2) dark spot outlined by the tail of Sco
  • (3) dark spot near Scutum
Yutucruz Qechua-Spanish "tinamou cross" Southern Cross