Introduction Historical context The natural setting About the disoccupation when discovered Description of Machu Picchu Wayna Picchu and the temple of the moon Reconstructing the past Inca society The cult of the dead Inca The productive activities Reconstructing the past The cult of the dead Inca ---------Select----------The processions------------------------The Inca's mummy------------------------Funeral practices------------------------The capacocha------------------------The cemeteriesof Machu Picchu According to Betanzos in chapter 32, "the mummified body of Pachacutec was in a town known as Patallacta, from where it was carried in a litter to the city of Cuzco for certain important ceremonies. On such occasions it was exhibited in the house of the Sun, or Qoricancha, together with the mummies of the rest of the Incas, making them participate in them as if they were alive, pretending that they taked with him. One part of the ritual included sings which repeated the deeds he performed in life, in wars as well as in his public works. Likewise, they changed his clothing and they served him food and drink the in the same way as when he was alive. " If we move this reference to Machu Picchu, we can imagine the mummified body of the Inca deposited in the crypt which lies below the Torreon in which there is a window prepared to hold and tie up the golden idol which Pizarro later carried off. We can also imagine that this mummy and that of the curaca Chanca Usco Willca (who it seems always accompanied him) went and came from Cuzco in ritual processions two or three times a year. According to Betanzos, the cult of the dead Incas was established by Pachakutec. The chronicler tells that when Pachacuteq's father Viracocha "died at the age of 80 or more, in his "house" in Xaquixahuana, above Colca he honored very much having his body brought in a litter well adorned as though he were alive to the city of Cusco every and when there were celebrations, paying honor to his person to the lords of Cusco and the rest of the caciques ... before which bundle (mummy) they made sacrifice and burn many sheep and lambs (alpacas and llamas) and clothing and maize and coca and spill much chicha ..., and he had made very many bundles (mummies) and so many lords had succeeded since Mango Capac until his father Viracocha Inga ... to those which he ordered that everyone respect and revere as idols and that thus they were made sacrifices like those who were placed in their houses and every time when and when that some lords entered where the Inga was they were paying respect to the sun and then to the bundles and then they entered into where the Inga was." This same chronicler says that "for the service of which bundles [mummies] he indicated and named a certain quantity of yanaconas and mamaconas and gave them lands in which to sow and gather for the service of these bundles and also indicated much livestock for sacrifices they therefore had to do and this service and lands and livestock he gave and he distributed to each bundle by itself and ordered that they take great care continually at night and in the morning to give to eat and to drink to these bundles and sacrifice them for which he commanded and indicated that each one of these a steward of the such servants as he also indicated."