The Inca has a deep and rich mythology centered around their religion. It included many gods, with Inti being the most important. Religion played such a large role that the emperor’s used it to establish their power. The Inca were a very tolerant civilization often incorporating gods from the people they conquered all the while evolving their own religion. Mainly religion was influenced by the Wari and Tiwanaku civilizations. To keep the people in place, the Inca had a system of priests and made worshipping the gods and emperor of the utmost importance. They were also very astrologically advanced in both learning cycles and constellations which is why much of their mythology includes the sun, moon, and the milky way.
Many gods lived in both
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They had an 8-day festival called the Inti Raymi. The people would sacrifice white llamas, certain foods, and even sometimes human sacrifices during this time. Sometimes farmland would be set aside and dedicated to Inti. At the end of the festival statues made of wood were burned as sacrifices. The holiday is still observed to this day. In addition, they believed in life after death, so they mummified dead bodies. Tombs were reopened to pay respects and make offerings to ancestors. Shamans also played an important role as sort of a liaison between the gods and people. They were able to cure diseases and predict disasters ahead of time. Moreover, they were highly revered in society. During Solstices the priests would perform sun ceremonies to symbolically connect the sun to the Earth. Overall, most of the festivals were tied to the astronomical calendar, more specifically. the movement of the sun, moon, and milky way. The ceremonies and rituals were tied to planting and harvesting seasons.
To honor the gods, many temples were built in the larger cities. The most important of these temples was in Cusco. Here, made their sacrifices to the god. The Priestesses would weave clothes for the emperor and prepare the food for the gods. The more beautiful of the latter would be sacrificed. Furthermore, places in nature such as mountain peaks, rivers, caves, and odd stone structures were treated as shrines for special power