huaca
- noun
- /ˈwɑːkə/
- Specialized
:
huaca
- Archaeologists discovered ancient artifacts buried within the sacred huaca that was used for rituals.
- Huaca Prieta
- Huaca de la Luna
Examples
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The local community gathers to honor their ancestors at the huaca during annual ceremonies.
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They left behind eroded architecture, mostly pyramidal mounds called huacas, and their descendants, many of whom may still live nearby.
Academic text (2011) -
The community was centered around a church built on a Moche plaza, near a mound called the Huaca Cao Viejo.
Academic text (2011) -
On a plain in the arid valley of the same name, Moche is dominated by two enormous stepped platforms known as the Huaca de la Luna and the Huaca del Sol, or the Pyramids of the Moon and the Sun.
Academic text (2002) -
On a plain in the arid valley of the same name, Moche is dominated by two enormous stepped platforms known as the Huaca de la Luna and the Huaca del Sol, or the Pyramids of the Moon and the Sun.
Academic text (2002) -
Preserving the huaca is crucial for understanding the spiritual beliefs of pre-Columbian cultures.
Synonyms
235
3.0
A large stone building or underground room where people put a dead person
4
7.1
A mound of earth or stones built over a grave, often in ancient times
A heap of earth built over a grave in ancient times
How Sacred
Surface Forms
Etymology
Huaca comes from the Quechua word wak'a, which means 'sacred thing' or 'sacred place'. So a huaca is like a shrine or burial mound that people honor with offerings and treat as holy.