Resumen

LIMON OLVERA, Silvia. Water and Axis Mundi in the Andean Cosmovision. Latinoamérica [online]. 2024, n.78, pp.43-66.  Epub 20-Mayo-2024. ISSN 2448-6914.  https://doi.org/10.22201/cialc.24486914e.2024.78.57632.

Water was a primordial element in the Andean religious system because, due to its liminal nature, it connected the celestial, terrestrial, and interior realms of the earth, as well as the world of the living with that of the dead, while also standing out for its purifying nature. The hypothesis that guides this work is the existence of an axis mundi symbolically constituted by water, which was personified in deities that established an interaction among the three sectors of the cosmos. To do this, with a focus on Symbolic Anthropology and the History of Religions, colonial documents that recorded the beliefs that were in effect during the pre-Hispanic period were analyzed. In this way, the intent is to offer a new perspective on water as a sacred element in the Andean cosmovision.

Palabras llave : Andes; Religion; Water; Symbolism; Beliefs.