Note 1193 — Chapter IV

Of the first class were the Tarpuntay, or sacrificing priests, and the Nacac, who cut up the victims and provided the offerings, whether harpay or bloody sacrifices, haspay or bloodless sacrifices of flesh, or cocuy, oblations of corn, fruit, or coca. Molina mentions a custom called Ccapac-cocha or Cacha-huaca, being the distribution of sacrifices. An enormous tribute came to Cuzco annually for sacrificial purposes, and was thence distributed by the Inca, for the worship of every huaca in the empire. The different sacrifices were sent from Cuzco in all directions for delivery to the priests of the numerous huacas. The ministering priests were called Huacap Uillac when they had charge of a special idol, Huacap Rimachi or Huatuc when they received utterances from a deity while in a state of ecstatic frenzy called utirayay, and Ychurichuc when they received confessions and ministered in private families. The soothsayers were a very numerous class. The Hamurpa examined the entrails of sacrifices, and divined by the flight of birds. The Llayca, Achacuc, Huatuc, and Uira-piricuc were soothsayers of various grades. The Socyac divined by maize heaps, the Pacchacuc by the feet of a large hairy spider, the Llaychunca by odds and evens. The recluses were not only Aclla-cuna, or virgins congregated in temples under the charge of matrons called Mama-cuna. There were also hermits who meditated in solitary places, and appear to have been under a rule, with an abbot called Tucricac, and younger men serving a novitiate called Huamac. These Huancaquilli, or hermits, took vows of chastity (titu), obedience (Huñicui), poverty (uscacuy), and penance (villullery).