Beneath the sacred “Rock of the Serpents” rested a priestess, who, at 45, passed away, leaving behind a legacy of mystery and power.
In life, she—the Llaviacvillaq—spoke with the Lightning itself. A divine connection that set her apart as a priestess of unparalleled strength.
On her chest rested two slightly convex bronze mirrors with square, perforated handles. They were sacred tools used by the priestess to kindle the ceremonial fire and consume the offerings dedicated to the celestial deities.
Her face, adorned with esoteric symbols, shimmered with the red powder of sorcery, marking her as a priestess with mastery over the arcane.
For the most sacred rituals, the priestess wielded knives of bronze and chalcedony. Their broken blades whispering tales of hidden power.
Upon her death, she was buried with her most treasured possessions:
- A beautiful shawl pin or “tupu,” a 9-centimeter silver medallion with drilled holes
- A necklace of five silver discs
Not only adorning her body, but also serving to guard the secrets of her mystical life.
The wind that still stirs through the rocks likewise carries the echoes of her name, and within the shadows of the ‘Rock of the Serpents,’ her spirit remains—forever connected to the divine forces she once commanded as a revered priestess.
Mircea Eliade states that the bones of sorcerers and witches enjoyed a different post-mortem fate from the rest— their souls ascended directly to the heavens.
It is likely that the bones of the priestess once rested atop a platform on the carved rock, adorned with serpents, where homage was paid.
References:
- Sánchez Macedo, M.O. (1998). De las Sacerdotisas, Brujas y Adivinas de Macchu Picchu. Pag. 103 – 104. Imprenta HGT S.R. Ltda.
