The Tone of the Offering to the Mallkus in the Collasuyu. Archaeological Correlation for Images of Flutes in Guaman Poma (XIV-XVI Centuries)

Abstract

The starting point of this paper is the analysis of an archaeological bone object from Chiuchiu (Loa River, northern Chile), which belongs today to the collection of the Museo de América in Madrid. Its musicological and contextual study -as well as its corresponding comparison with other similar bone objects- allows us to present here the arguments for which we consider that this object could be a flute like the ones drawn by Guamán Poma in relation to the rites of the Collasuyu, in his work Nueva Corónica y Buen Gobierno [1615]. The correlation that we establish here between this type of flute and other archaeological elements referring to the clothing and personal adornments of the individuals portrayed, allow us to propose that the bi-diametral tubular flute would have been part of the musical heritage of the Colla ethnic group and its special sound aesthetics. With this we establish, on the one hand, a marked cultural difference with respect to the longitudinal flute of the quena type, and on the other hand, we expand the set of objects indicative of Colla affiliation. In this way, we propose that this bone flute would have been the musical instrument used in the ceremonies and rites carried out by the Lords of the Collasuyu, both in pre-Inca times and under the rule of the Tawantinsuyu.