Festival of the Sun
Quick Summary
The Festival of the Sun, or Inti Raymi, was a significant Inca celebration honoring Inti, the sun god and believed ancestor of the Incas. Held in June, this festival involved animal sacrifices and ritual dances. Inti was typically depicted as a golden disk with rays and flames, and his sister and consort was Mama-Kilya, the moon goddess, represented as a silver disk. The Inca religion was a blend of complex ceremonies, nature worship, and animistic beliefs, with the sun god at its apex. The former Inca capital, Cuzco, still hosts a grand celebration and pageant of Inti Raymi each June 24th, commemorating the ancient festival.123
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