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Show 438 PLATEAU OF OAXAMARCA. ANNOTATIONS AND ADDITIONS. (') p. 413.-" On the ridge of the Chain of the Andes or Antis." The Inca Garcilasso, who was well acquainted with the language of his country, and was fond of dwelling on etymologies, always calls the Chain of the Andes las Montafias de los Antis. He says positively, that the great Mountain chain east of Cuzco derived its name from the tribe of the Antis, and the Province of Anti, which is to the east of the Capital of the Incas. The Quaternary division of the Peruvian Empire according to the four quarters of the heavens, reckoned from Cuzco, borrowed its terminology, not from the very circumstantial words taken which signify East, West, North, and South in the Quichua language (intip lluscinanpata, intip yaucunanpata, intip chaututa chayananpata, intip chaupunchau chayananpata); but from the names of the Provinces and of the tribes or races (Provincias llamadas Anti, Cunti, Chincha y Colla), which are east, west, north, and south of the Centre of the Empire (the city of Cuzco ). The four parts of the Inca-theocracy are called accordingly Antisuyu, Cuntisuyu, Chinchasuyu, and Collasuyu. The word suyu signifies "strip," and also u part." Notwithstanding the great distance, Quito belonged to Chinchasuyu; and in proportion as by their religious wars the Incas extended still more widely the prevalence of their faith, their language, and their absolute form of government, the Suyus also acquired larger and unequally increased dimensions. Thus the names of provinces came to be used to express the different quarters of the heavens; u N ombrar aquellos Partidos era lo mismo," says Garcilasso, " que decir al Oriente, 6 al Poniente." The Snow Chain of the Antis was thus looked upon as an east chain. "La Provincia Anti da nombre a las Montafias de los Antis. Llamaron la parte a del Oriente Antisuyu, por la qual tam bien Haman Anti a toda aquella gran Cordillera de SierraN evada |
