Ancient America Glossary

asua	maize beer, a staple of the Inka made from fermented corn (maize)
camelid	New World camels; two-toed, sure-footed animals of which there are four types: llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and vicunas
cosmology	a theory or belief structure dealing with the natural order of the universe and the place of humans therein
effigy	an image or representation, most often of a person
glyph	a symbolic figure conveying information non-verbally
hybrid	a composite; something performing as a whole but made up of two different parts
jadeite	rare green material, valued for carving in the ancient Americas
Quipukamayuq	“knot-maker” in Kechwa, specialists in the Inka Empire responsible for making and reading the quipus
libation	the pouring of a liquid as sacrifice
paccha	ritual watering vessel
Pachamama	the name for Mother Earth in later Andean cultures
psychotropic	acting on the mind (i.e. altering brainwaves to induce hallucinations)
quipu	knotted textile record-keeping device
reciprocal	shared or felt by both sides; corresponding jointly
regeneration	spiritual rebirth or renewal
sara	the Kechwa word for ear of maize
shaman	member of the community able to communicate with other realms through altered consciousness and bring back solutions to community problems
shamanism	a religious/spiritual system based on the belief in the abilities of shamans to communicate with other realms through visions
slip	clay watered down to liquid consistency, used to paint ceramics and fired with the piece, becoming permanent
spindle	tapered stick used to twist raw fiber into yarn
spindle whorl	the clay bead pushed onto the spindle in order to hold the spun thread in place
taclla	the Kechwa word for foot plow, the long, pointed wooden architectural implement used to punch holes in the soil for planting
Tawantinsuyu	the Kechwa word for the Inca Empire, “Land of the Four Quarters”
textiles	cloth or other fiber arts such as fiber sculptures, basketry, and featherwork
tumi	ceremonial knife with a long shaft, decorated top, and crescent-shaped blade
urn	an ornamental vessel, can have many purposes including burial container
urpu	the Kechwa word for maize beer or maize kernel storage vessel
Vision Serpent	the Maya concept of a double-headed snake apparition seen by shamans in visions after blood letting