Farewell to the Gods

A pre-Columbian building decorated with polychrome mural paintings was recently discovered at the site of Pachacamac, near Lima. Hundreds of offerings were scattered across the rooms and corridors of the building. They included extremely diverse objects from across the Andean region: parrot feather adornments and seeds from the Amazon; black stones from the mountains, chosen for their unusual shapes; unmodified and sculpted shells from the Equatorial region; ornate cups inlaid with mother-of-pearl in the style of the Northern Coast; metal; Inca ceramics, etc. In this chapter, the use of this peculiar building—probably a kind of sanctuary—and its links with pilgrimage, healing practices, and ancestor cult are discussed. Most of the offerings were placed within and around the structure at the moment of its abandonment following the Spanish invasion. The possible meanings and causes of such an unusual ritual are reviewed and discussed.