Beschreibung:

PRE-COLUMBIAN INCA FIGURE GROUP 14th-15th century AD A group of five silver Capac Hucha figures consisting of two squatting, with arms crossed over chest; one standing and with legs slightly bent, arms outstretched and with erect penis; one standing, with hands reaching to face; one standing wearing cap and necklace, hands at stomach, belt below and flat spade-shaped end. 65 grams total, 25-47mm (1 - 1 3/4"). Fine condition. [5] Provenance From an old Danish private collection. Literature See Benson, E. (ed) Ritual Sacrifice in Ancient Peru, Texas, 2001; De Bock, E. (ed) Inca's Capac Hucha, Amsterdam, 2010. Footnotes Figurines of gold, silver, or shell were often deposited with Inca human sacrifices. Known as Capac Hucha, meaning "solemn sacrifice", the figurines may have been offerings to the gods, small icons of the human sacrificial victims, or guides to the afterworld; the figures were usually deposited in pairs of male and female. Many of these figures have been found at sacred sites on the top of mountains and volcanoes, and often have clothing and headdresses, as well as gold or silver llama accompanying them. Inca civilisation arose in the Andean highlands of Peru in the early 13th century and by the 16th century, the Inca Empire was the largest empire in the New World, with their capital at Cuzco in Peru. Despite their wealth, large population, and strong administrative organisation the Incas were rapidly conquered by the Spanish by 1572.