Andean cross
The Andean cross ( Quechua : tawa chakana) is a symbol common in the highlands of Bolivia and Peru that goes back to the Inca . The four directions symbolize the four cardinal points of the Inca Empire, the hole in the middle the navel of the world - Qusqu ( Cusco ), the capital of the Inca. The steps between the bars represent the three-part division of the world into the underworld (Ukhu Pacha) , the human world (Kay Pacha) and the world of the gods or the upper world (Hanaq Pacha) .
The Andean Cross contains in short the entire life of the Inca. In addition to the three different worlds, the three levels also symbolize their animal representatives. The condor embodies the world of gods at the same time as justice . The human world is symbolized by the puma , which stands for strength , and the underworld embodies the snake and its wisdom .