t for the following reason: Padre Anello
Oliva records that the Inca Yupanqui, the founder of Cuzco and the same
whose vision agrees so strangely with the bas-relief, was surnamed
Lloque=the left-handed,(37) and was noted for having visited the whole
empire three times. His reign was long and prosperous, and he left a
record as a conqueror and builder. He likewise sent his son Mayta-Capac to
visit the whole empire, accompanied by sages and councillors. I recall
here it was Yupanqui who proclaimed to the sun-worshippers of Peru, the
existence and superiority of an immutable Creator.

I have already shown how, in Peru, it was a dictum that the upper division
of the empire was to bear the same ideal relation to the lower as that of
an elder brother to a younger or a right hand to the left. It is,
therefore, possible to infer that, on ceremonial occasions when it is
recorded that the Hanan Cuzco and Hurin Cuzco people were stationed at
either side of the Inca, the Hanan or chieftains constituting the nobility
were to his right and the Hurin people or lower class, to his left.

It is truly remarkable that it is a passage in the Annals of the
Cakchiquels, the people now inhabiting the region of Guatemala where the
Santa Lucia bas-reliefs were found, that contains the clearest statement
regarding the division of a tribe into two classes and the relative
positions assigned to each of these, according to ceremonial usage. The
passage relates: "We, the 13 divisions of warriors, and the seven tribes
... we came to the enclosure of Tulan, and coming, gave our tribute. The
seven tribes were drawn up in order on the left of Tulan. On the right
hand, were arranged the warriors. Firstly, the tribute was taken from the
seven tribes, next from the warriors."(38)

Buschmann has recorded the interesting fact that, in Nahuatl, the right
hand is designated as "the good, clever or wise"=yec-maitl or mayectli,
also ma-imatca or ma-nematca (from yectli=good and imati=to be clever or
wise). Molina's dictionary furnishes us with the following Nahuatl names
for the left hand, etc.

Opoch maitl, Opuch maitl, Opuch maye: left hand.
Opochiuia=v. to do something with the left hand.
Topuchcopa, the left, at the left hand, or side.

In Mexico the totemic lord of the chase was named Opochtli. The
much-discussed name Huitzil-opochtli is considered by some to signify "the
left-handed humming-bird."

The foregoing proves that in Peru, Guatemala and Me