Room 2. Introduction to the Gods of Lambayeque
One of the most representative expressions of Lambayeque's intangible heritage
is the festival in honor of the Santísima Cruz de Motupe, located in the
district of the same name, celebrated on August 5th of each year. A multitude
of faithful devotees accompany the holy wood from its descent from the Cerro
Chalpón, where it is kept all year round, and every day of the procession they
give it a series of gifts, from beautifully embroidered cloaks to small votive
offerings or little miracles that they leave in its grotto, thanking or asking
for a favor to improve their health, economy or family harmony. These votive
offerings, especially made of metal, have various shapes and sizes, according
to the devotee's need for care, for example, vehicles, houses, animals, even
parts of the human body in case of having some ailment to improve.
This expression of faith today reminds us of the offerings found in the Temple
of the Sacred Stone in the form of miniatures of metal (silver-plated copper),
given by the ancient people of Tucumán to please their gods. This practice
shows the important continuity of the religious magical thought of our people,
united in time by their ideology and practices associated with it, of respect
for their deities.
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The Temple of the Sacred Stone
This small building houses a huanca or large rock from Cerro La
Raya mountain, which represents the mountain. It is a very powerful
sacred stone, which motivated a large number and variety of offerings
from different regions during the successive periods of occupation.
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So far, it appears to be the only one of its kind in Peru's northem
coastal region.
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Scale model of the Temple of the Sacred Stone
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The Gods of Lambayeque
The archaeological and ethnological research of the Túcume Museum has
led to a polytheistic interpretation of the Lambayeque culture, as
opposed to the theories of a single and omnipresent deity, which has
been identified as Naymlap or the Sicán God.
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The ancient Peruvians had various gods related to the stars, the sea,
the earth and its fruits, the mountains, various animals, thunder and
lightning, the rainbow, the wind, rocks of particular shapes, caves,
among others, and Lambayeque was no exception.
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The Creator Deities
One of the most successful expressions of Lambayeque’s mythology is
shown on this cup. Here we see: A woman giving birth (the “Fertile
Mother”); a deity associated with divers and the collecting of
spondylus shells; a deity associated with agricultural produce;
processions of birds; and a feline deity with four faces.
- The Fertile Moyher
- The Deity of the Vegetables
- The Procession of Birds
- The Deity of the Spondilus
- The Lord of the Four Faces
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Replica of the Larco cup
The art displayed shows a high religious content. It is organized in six
fields.
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Pantheon of the Gods
The pictures on this wonderful silver beaker are a brilliant artistic
expression of the complex Lambayeque world vision, telling the story of
a large group of gods.
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Replica of the Denver vessel
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Miniature offerings
The collection of silver-plated copper miniatures corresponds to one of
the most important discoveries made in the Temple of the Sacred Stone of
Túcume.
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Nearly 1000 miniatures were offered, in association with shells (Spondylus sp.), snails (Conus sp.), ceramic fragments, aromatic seeds,
colored powders, leaves of various plants and miniature fabrics;
inside and around the Temple.
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The miniatures have representations of various kinds: plants, animals,
fruits, fish, musical instruments, weapons, hammocks, litters,
sandals, pectorals, crowns, faces, plates, jugs, spoons, ritual
vessels, palettes, oars, looms, among others.
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Guaba pod (left) and Carob pod (right)
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The Huanca (Sacred Stone)
The stone or Huanca that characterizes the Temple was the center of
devotion of the ancient people who extracted it from Cerro Purgatorio or
Cerro La Raya, their sacred mountain, their protective Apu, to turn it
into an object of their devotion.
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The inhabitants offered it miniature objects such as textiles,
figurines (Conopas) with multi-colored dresses and headdresses, as
well as human and camelid sacrifices that are evidence of the great
importance and meaning that this temple had for the ancient
inhabitants of the city of the pyramids.
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There are archaeological records of this activity during the
Lambayeque, Chimú and Inca periods.
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Over the years, the inhabitants of Tucumán have maintained their
tradition towards the Cerro Purgatorio, their protective Apu.
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For this reason, to this day, the inhabitants offer it small votive
offerings or milagritos (little miracles) to thank it or ask
for help.
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Miniature fabrics
As part of the offerings to the Temple of the Sacred Stone, a set of
fine miniature garments made of native white cotton was recorded, placed
inside a small hole in the south wall of the Temple, together with a set
of metal miniatures deposited by the devotees of the Sacred Stone, one
of the most important tutelary deities of the ancient Tucumans.
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Notable among this collection are shirts or uncus, a pair of trousers,
a sash and small blankets woven with fine and delicate cotton threads,
deposited during the first period of use of the building corresponding
to the Late Lambayeque period.
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Sacrifices in the Temple of the Sacred Stone
In the Temple of the Sacred Stone, the priests performed many rituals
where animals and human beings were sacrificed to gain the favor of the
gods.
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When they heard the news that the Spaniards had arrived in Jayanca,
there was widespread alarm, and the lords ordered a greater number of
sacrifices.
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Gods and goddesses: the forces that animate us
The Andean civilization had a millennia-long development with very
diverse deities.
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The gods in Lambayeque inhabited three interconnected worlds: the
celestial world, our world and the subterranean world, each
represented by animals of the same importance and hierarchy: bird -
feline - snake, which can be expressed in a unitary way under the
figure of the mythical Amaru; a fantastic flying snake, with feline
fangs and claws.
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See also
Sources
Location
