Inka (All Terms)
Inka are peoples in the Americas. This compilation of terms and their spelling variants was compiled by Steven R. Gullberg and Susanne M Hoffmann based on the following literature:
- Gary Urton (1981). At the Crossroads of the Earth and Sky: An Andean Cosmology (University of Texas Press)
- Steven R. Gullberg (2020). Astronomy of the Inca Empire: Use and Significance of the Sun and the Night Sky (Springer)
- Steven R Gullberg and Milton Rojas (2024). Inca Cosmovision: The Astronomical Legacy of an Andean Empire (Springer)
| Original | Language of Origin | Pronounce | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alto pina ch'aska | " star which is already high" [i.e., in the zenith] | A 1st and 2nd magnitude star or planet in the "zenith" at midnight | ||
| Amaru | “The Serpent” | Scorpius | ||
| Amaru contor | the serpent changing to the condor | Scorpius | ||
| Aquayoq and Catuilla | a constellation | |||
| Arado | Spanish | plough | Scorpius | |
| Atoq | The Fox | a dark constellation | ||
| Boca de Sapo | Spanish | "mouth of the toad" | Hyades | |
| Boleadora | a lasso with three balls at the end; also a "thief' | Shooting stars | ||
| Cabanuelas | "small hut, cottage" | Pleiades (?) | ||
| Calvario Cruz | Spanish | the cross of Calvary |
| |
| Ch`aka Tinkucheq | Orion's Belt+ Betelgeuse and Rigel | |||
| Ch`aska Punchu | Chasqa Punchu | Poncho of the Stars | the seven bright stars of Orion | |
| Ch`askamayu | Milky Way | |||
| Ch’aska Waraqa | stars in the tail of Scorpius | |||
| Chacra | A cultivation area; Betelgeuse, Bellatrix, Rigel, and Saiph. | |||
| Chakana | “The Bridge” or "Stars" |
| ||
| Chaqana | Ch`akana | Southern Cross | ||
| Chasca Cuyllor | “Morning Star” “Evening Star” | Venus | ||
| Ch'aska | a constellation | |||
| Ch'aska plata | " silver star" | Shooting stars | ||
| Chaska Waraqa Mach`aqway | the flame in the eyes of llamaqñawin | α and β Centauri | ||
| Ch'issin ch'aska | "evening star" | 1st and 2nd magnitude stars and a planet | ||
| Choquechinchay | "golden cat" | Tail of Scorpio (or dark spot inside tail?) | ||
| Chuchuqoyllor | a constellation | |||
| Chuquichinchay | a constellation | |||
| Contor | condor | |||
| Coscotoca ch'aska | "star of the two equal parts" | A 1st and 2nd magnitude star or planet in the "zenith" at midnight | ||
| Flagstone Hayquna | a constellation | |||
| Foot | a constellation | |||
| Hanp’atu | The Toad | a dark constellation | ||
| Hatun Coyllur | "large star" | Sirius | ||
| Hatun Cruz | “The Great Cross” |
| ||
| Hatun llamaytoq | the great large llama | a dark streak between the coal-sack and eps Sco | ||
| Huaman | Qechua | Alnitak | ||
| Huchuy Cruz | Qechua & Spanish | “The Small Cross” | The Southern Cross | |
| K 'olli | ? | unidentified small dark spot | ||
| Kapuwara Wara | a constellation | |||
| Khaswa Coyllur | "circle dance star(s)" |
| ||
| Kotu Sankha | Hyades + Aldebaran | |||
| Laja Haykuna | in Argo Navis, means entry into the darkness | |||
| Linun Cruz | Spanish | Linun = Lat. lignum; "wooden cross" or "the crucifixion cross" | head of Scorpius | |
| Llama | llama | Large dark streak between the Coalsack and ε Scorpii | ||
| Llama Cancha | "Llama corral" | |||
| Llamacñawin | “The Eyes of the Llama” | α and β Centauri | ||
| lllarimi ch 'aska | "dawn star" | any 1st or 2nd mag star or planet at dawn | ||
| Locero | moning star, Venus | In Yucay, one infonnant talked of pachaypaqa locero ("dawn morning star"); an informant in Lucre called both the morning and evening stars "locero." | ||
| Mach`aqway | Machacuay | the Serpent | a dark constellation | |
| Mallki | in Aries | |||
| Mama Rosario | Spanish | Mother Rosary | unidentified bright nebulosity in the Milky Way | |
| Mamana micuc | "(the one who) eats his mother" | ξ, π, σ, ν, τ Puppis | ||
| Mayu | a constellation | |||
| Michij runa | a shepherd | a dark constellation | ||
| Ñawin Cristo | "the eyes of Christ" | α and β Centauri | ||
| Ombligo de la llama | umbilicus of the llama | narrow, curving dark streak from alf Cen south and curving up to tet Sco | ||
| Onqoy | "Desease", an alternative name for Qollca | |||
| Orqorara | three stars all the same | "Three Marias", Orion's Belt | ||
| Orqorara and Ranch | a constellation | |||
| Pachapacariq Chaska | “The Venus of the Western Suyu” |
| ||
| Pachapacariq ch'aska | "dawn of the earth" | One Sonqo informant rereferred to pachai/larimi ch'aska ("dawn of the earth star"); it might be any bright object ... | ||
| Papa Dios Cruz | Spanish | "the cross of God the father" | head of Scorpius | |
| Passon Cruz | Spanish | the cross of the Passion | ||
| Pisqa Collea | the five storehouses | between Orion and the Hyades | ||
| Pisqa Coyllur | the five star(s) | Hyades | ||
| Posuqu | foam | bright stellar clouds in the southern Milky Way | ||
| Puma Yunta | in Gemini - eyes Castor and Pollux | |||
| Qatachillay | Catachillay | “Female Llama with Lamb” | Altair and Deneb | |
| Qollca | Collca | “The Storehouse” | ||
| Qoqamanqa | pot of coca | a constellation | ||
| Qosqo and Qurawasi | Crossover Stars | a constellation | ||
| Quntur | Qechua | condor | Mintaka | |
| Qutu | pile | Pleiades | ||
| Santissima Cruz | Spanish | “The Sacred Cross” | α, β, δ, π, and σ Scorpii | |
| Saramanqa | pot of maiz (corn) | a constellation | ||
| Sonaja | tambourine, rattle | Corona Borealis | ||
| Sullu ullucu | aborted ullucu | |||
| Suyuntu and Huaman | a constellation | |||
| Suyuntuy | Qechua | Alnilam | ||
| Torito | Spanish | " little bull" | A star or planet in the "zenith" at midnight; torito is also the name of the " rhinoceros beetle" (Dynastinae) | |
| Uñallamacha | The Baby Llama | a dark constellation | ||
| Urpi | dove | coalsack | ||
| Urquchillay | Urcuchillay | “Llama of Many Colors” | Lyra | |
| Yaqana | Yacana | The Llama | a dark constellation | |
| Yaqumama | a constellation | |||
| Yuthu | Yutu | The Tinamou |
| |
| Yutucruz | Qechua-Spanish | "tinamou cross" | Southern Cross |
