The goddess Chía (from the

Chibcha language Chibcha, Mosca, Muisca, Muysca (*/ˈmɨska/), or Muysca de Bogotá, was a language spoken by the Muisca people of the Muisca Confederation, one of the many indigenous cultures of the Americas. The Muisca inhabited the Altiplano Cundiboyace ...

"the one who is like the moon"), is a

triple Triple is used in several contexts to mean "threefold" or a " treble": Sports * Triple (baseball), a three-base hit * A basketball three-point field goal * A figure skating jump with three rotations * In bowling terms, three strikes in a row * ...

lunar deity A lunar deity or moon deity is a deity who represents the Moon, or an aspect of it. These deities can have a variety of functions and traditions depending upon the culture, but they are often related. Lunar deities and Moon worship can be found ...

associated with gold, described as a beautiful young woman with white skin and black hair, in the religion of the Muisca who inhabited the

Altiplano Cundiboyacense The Altiplano Cundiboyacense () is a high plateau located in the Eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes covering parts of the departments of Cundinamarca and Boyacá. The altiplano corresponds to the ancient territory of the Muisca. The Alt ...

pre-Columbian In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, ...

times.Ocampo López, Javier. Leyendas populares colombianas. Editorial Plaza y Janes Editores Colombia s.a., 1996. , 9789581402670 Of central importance to the pantheon, she was worshipped across various

Muisca The Muisca (also called Chibcha) are an indigenous people and culture of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, Colombia, that formed the Muisca Confederation before the Spanish conquest. The people spoke Muysccubun, a language of the Chibchan langu ...

lands. In one of her many functions, Chía was considered to be the patron deity of the Zipa ruler, who governed the territory encompassing what is now Bogotá. Her ceremonial center was located in or around the city of

Chía, Cundinamarca Chía is a town and municipality in the Cundinamarca department of Colombia, located to the north of Bogotá on the main road to Zipaquira. Its history dates back to the pre-Columbian era. Due to its proximity to Bogotá, Chía has effectivel ...

, which was aptly named after the goddess. The ''chyquys''; priests of the sacred calendar, were in charge of the ceremonies dedicated to the goddess, which included offerings of gold and ceramic artwork.

Súe

Chía and

Sué Sué, Xué, Sua, Zuhe or Suhé was the god of the Sun in the religion of the Muisca. He was married to Moon goddess Chía.Ocampo López, 2013, Ch.4, p.33 The Muisca and their confederation were one of the four advanced civilizations of the Ameri ...

were the first generation of deities, created by

Chiminigagua Chiminigagua, Chiminichagua or Chimichagua was the supreme being, omnipotent god and creator of the world in the religion of the Muisca.Ocampo López, 2013, Ch.1, p.15 The Muisca and their confederation were one of the four advanced civilizat ...

, in which they both illuminated light for earth. Chía and Súe, the solar deity, are married, but separated in the sky most of the time, until Chía would join with her husband creating a Lunar eclipse.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chia Muisca goddesses Pre-Columbian mythology and religion Lunar goddesses Triple goddesses Muysccubun

Súe

See also

References