AB Archaeologia Baltica 1392-5520 1392-5520 KU 10_175-182_MALVILLE_ET_AL Article Cosmological motifs of Peruvian huacas Malville John McKim malville@colorado.edu ∗ James Cook University, Australia University of Colorado, USA Zawaski Michael mzawaski@hotmail.com University of Northern Colorado, USA Gullberg Steven steven.gullberg@jcu.edu.au James Cook University, Australia Corresponding author. 10 175 182 20 12 2008 20 12 2008 02 11 2007 05 05 2008 2008 Klaipėda University

Characteristics of Andean huacas are summarized with examples from Urubamba, Machu Picchu, Llactapata, and Chankillo. We identify the pillars on the ridge above the town of Urubamba as a marker of June solstice sunrise to be viewed from the Palace of Huayna Capac. Both ends of the sightline connecting the pillars and the Palace appear to have been huacas. The large carved Intiwatana stone in the Urubamba canyon symbolically ties together Machu Picchu and the nearby ceremonial center of Llactapata. The astronomically complex site of Chankillo includes evidence for ceremonial observations of the solstices and shamanic ritual, set within a large-scale geometry established by June solstice sunset/December solstice sunrise.

 Inca shrines sun moon solstices ancestor veneration shamanism