Similarities in religion

            I found it interesting how the Aztec and Incan cultures were very similar. Even though these two empires were far apart their similarities are striking. On page 100, Conrad and Demarest discuss that Incan “…pantheon did not consist of ‘gods’ in the Westerns sense at all. Rather, it is best described as an overarching divine complex, a multi-faceted sky god composed of myriad individual aspects.” The Aztecs gods also had multi-faceted roles, for instance, the god of healing would also be the cause disease. Both the Aztec and Incan religions also had some form of demi-god. In the Chimu civilization, “rulers were believed to be of divine descent, and they owned vast amounts of personal possessions, which they held by divine right” (91). Aztec rulers were also considered and treated as the god’s direct representative and embodiment on earth. However, unlike the Aztec religion, which centered mainly on human sacrifices, Incan religion was heavily focused on ancestor worship (90).

            The Inca did partake in human sacrifices, but these sacrifices were done for their ancestors. I found it interesting how after the death of a king, his mummified body would still be served by his descents and take part in religious ceremonies. Ancestor worship was the fundamental aspect of Andean life and religion (90). Ancestor worship can be found throughout the America’s, including many North American tribes. Perhaps, all these ancestral religions originated from a common location, and as humans crossed into North America and deviated to different locations on the continent, their ways of worshiping diversified. North American, Mesoamerican, and Andean religions all have many similarities that may have had similar origins.