"An English translation of a sixteenth-century Spanish manuscript, by an Inca Jesuit, about Inca religion and the spread of Christianity in colonial Peru. Includes an introductory essay"--Provided by publisher.

A process of assimilation and cultural layering makes Incan mythology a rich and complex brew of Andean folklore, history, and belief. This book serves up a sumptuous offering of Incan and other Andean myths, and sheds light on cultures that often remain shrouded in mystery to this day. These myths and legends are placed within a context of history, archaeology, religion, folk beliefs, and culture, that both explains and enhances their meaning. Dozens of full-color images illuminate the rich storytelling.

Sharing many common beliefs, deities, and rituals, the religion of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca was rooted in both the earth and the sky, the rhythms of the seasons, and the movements of the sun, moon, and stars. Readers will meet rain and sun gods, corn gods and fertility gods, earth mothers who are both creators and destroyers, and even a feathered serpent. Lavish primary-source images of arts and artifacts are paired with text that is both information-packed and enthralling. Readers who enter this pantheon are in for an awe-inspiring cultural journey through the divine mysteries of time and space.