The root kam and its derivatives in Kichua, as a means of research into the ancient history of Peru

Abstract

Barranca conducts a philological analysis of the linguistic root "Kam" and its more modern variant "Kon" in the Kichua (Quechua) language, linking them semantically with concepts of noise, roar, force, and soul. The author examines compound words and names of deities such as Pacha-Kámak and Kon to demonstrate that this root personifies tremors and seismic phenomena. He argues that the presence of "Kon" in Andean toponymy, as part of of the names of volcanoes in Colombia (Cundinamarca) and Ecuador (Cumbal), suggests an ancient cultural expansion of the Kichaymara people. The study uses linguistics as a historical tool to interpret pre-Hispanic mythology, connecting natural phenomena such as earthquakes with the indigenous worldview and comparing similar roots even with Asian languages.