Insects and demons. The origins of a diabolical figure in the Bolivian Andes

Abstract

The purpose of this contribution is to demonstrate that by taking up the question of the characters’ identity that appears in the thief’s legend, not only is it possible to draw a real filiation with the pre-Columbian divinity, but also to show in addition that the latter is an anthropomorphised form of a parasitoid wasp whose modality of reproduction is connected to the deity.Keywords: Amazon; Andes; DiabloThe purpose of this contribution is to demonstrate that by taking up the question of the characters’ identity that appears in the thief’s legend, not only is it possible to draw a real filiation with the pre-Columbian divinity, but also to show in addition that the latter is an anthropomorphised form of a parasitoid wasp whose modality of reproduction is connected to the deity.Keywords: Amazon; Andes; DiabloLe propos de notre contribution est de montrer qu’en reprenant la question de l’identité des personnages qui apparaissent dans la légende du voleur, il est possible de tracer une filiation réelle avec non seulement la déité précolombienne, mais de montrer en plus que cette dernière est une forme anthropomorphisée d’une guêpe parasitoïde dont le mode de reproduction est attribué à la déité.Mots-clés: Amazonie; Andes; DiabloThe purpose of this contribution is to demonstrate that by taking up the question of the characters’ identity that appears in the thief’s legend, not only is it possible to draw a real filiation with the pre-Columbian divinity, but also to show in addition that the latter is an anthropomorphised form of a parasitoid wasp whose modality of reproduction is connected to the deity. Keywords: Amazon; Andes; Diabl