Uku Pacha

In Inca mythology, Uku Pacha was defined as the world below, which was the world of the dead, of the unborn and of everything that was found under the earth's surface or aquatic. The sources (in Quechua, pukyu), caves and any opening in the earth's crust were considered as a means of communication between the Uku Pacha and the Kay Pacha.

The world appeared to be made up of four planes, Hakaq Pacha (world beyond), Hanan Pacha (the world above), Kay Pacha (the world here) and Uku Pacha. In practice there used to be in the Tahuantinsuyu a "division" complementary dualism quite similar in some aspects to the Chinese yin-yang between Hanan and Urin (or Uku) that reached the point of qualifying populations as Hanan ("superior") and others of "inferior" (Urin, Uku) understanding them as complementary, although unlike Chinese complementary dualism it is not clear if the division between Hanan/Urin or Uku implied a reciprocal and progressive passage from the Hanan (the superior, the solar, etc.) to an Uku or Urin (the lower, the dark) and so on in cycles.

In the Quechua language, pacha meant both time and space, although the most common meaning is land. For example, when Pachamama is honored, a fertility rite is performed, so that the land bears its fruits in exchange for offerings and other sacrifices.

The animal representation of the Uku Pacha was represented by a giant snake or Amaru serpent.