Andes · Cosmos, sky and cycles
Chakana (Andean cross)
The stepped Andean cross: four directions, one centre and three worlds.
What does it mean?
The stepped cross, or chakana, appears in Andean art over roughly 4,000 years. Its shape points to the structure of the Andean cosmos: its four sides stand for the four directions and a centre, and its three steps for the underworld, the earth and the sky; these layers are associated with the serpent, the feline and the condor [1]. Newer claims linking the motif to the number pi or to the Southern Cross are considered highly doubtful by most researchers [1].
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Sources
Drawing: Bitki Tabanı, interpreted from the traditional motif.