Abstract
Situated in the heart of the Vilcabamba cordillera in Peru, some 150 km northwest of Cuzco, the ancient Inca state capital, Choqek'iraw or Choquequirao (“the golden cradle” in Quechua), is one of the most beautiful achievements of Inca architecture, and one of the very few pre-Hispanic sites displaying large wall mosaics, the only one known from Inca times. This article will attempt to demonstrate that the figures represented on the walls convey cosmological significance and are laid out following textile principles. After describing the site and its geo-cultural setting, the mosaics' main characteristics will be examined in detail, in an attempt to grasp their meaning. Finally, the author suggests that some of the scenes depicted could have been inspired by pre-Columbian myths and could be linked to astronomical concepts.
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