Pontifises Valla Viza Laica Vmv Hichezero · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Pontifises Valla Viza Laica Vmv Hichezero
Subject: Sorcerers; Priests; Demons; Devils; Inca; Inca Empire; Indigenous; Indigenous Peoples
Period: 1600-1650;
Geographic: Peru; Cusco; Cuzco; South America; West Indies
Description: This chapter is dedicated to discussing the sorcerers of the Inca Empire and their practices. This image depicts two sorcerers practicing their craft by lighting a fire under their ari manca [pot]. The sorcerer on the left side of the image is holding firewood in his hands to keep the fire lit, while the sorcerer on the right side is depicted looking at the pot. The author explains that the sorcerers would put items such as coca, silver, gold, and feathers into the pot and burn it in order to speak to the devil. There is a demon figure illustrated sitting on the pot to demonstrate this. There is a sun, moon, and start illustrated at the top of the image. The caption at the bottom of the image reads el gran hichesero que abía [the greatest sorcerer there was].
Image Creator: Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala (Illustrator)
Type: Text; Illustration [Manuscript]
Identifier: mta:20437
Language: spa
Source Name: El primer nueva corónica y buen gobierno [The First New Chronicle and Good Government]
Parent Collection: Latin American Chronicles
Image: mta_20437_OBJ.jpg