One of the main Inca creation myths was that of the Ayar Brothers, who emerged from a cave called Pacaritambo ("Hostel of Production", "Hostel of Dawn" or "Hideout House"). This house was located on Tambotoco Hill. It had three windows. According to the myth, the group of Maras Sutic emerged from one of the windows, called Maras Toco ("without parents") by spontaneous generation. The four brothers emerged from another window called Capac Toco. Their names were Ayar Uchu, Ayar Cachi, Ayar Manco and Ayar Auca.

They were accompanied by their four sisters, named Mama Ocllo, Mama Huaco, Mama Ipacura or Cura and Mama Raua. After careful investigation, researchers give different versions that only vary slightly.

The legendary Ayar Brothers, together with their sisters, set off on a slow walk over the "punas" (plateaus) and streams in the Andes to find a suitable dwelling place. It is interesting to mention that, in Huaman Poma's version, Mama Huaco is referred to as Manco Capacīs mother; and it is said that she had an incestuous relationship with him.

"The two essential prohibitions of incest and parricide are not found in the psychological analysis of the myth. On the contrary, it is stated that there was a network of brotherly relationships in which, without explicitly saying so, incest would seem to be natural. In this myth, there are no connubial couples, only the bilateral mother/son or brother/sister relationship. No interdiction imposed by the father is present within the triangular relationship implied by this system. From this viewpoint, the system described in the Ayar myth implies a dual relationship between a son and his mother." (Hernandez and other writers, 1987)

According to researchers' findings, the Ayar Brothers soon got rid of one of the brothers, Ayar Cachi, because they were afraid of his magical powers. He could tear down hills with just one shot from his sling, or make streams appear. His brothers deceived him into returning to Pacaritambo, the cavern where they were born, in order to bring a "napa", the badge of gentlemen, and some golden glasses, called "topacusi", which they had left there. They followed him secretly and once he entered the cave they closed it with great blocks of stone and Ayar Cachi remained a prisoner in the cave for the rest of his life. After this episode, the Ayar Brothers kept on walking through the mountains.

It is important to highlight that the Ayar Brothers, in spite of being nomads, were also farmers; thus, they would settle down in an area for some years and, after harvesting their crops, continue along their way.

Sarmiento de Gamboa narrates that, in their pilgrimage, the brothers arrived at a place called Guanacancha that is located 27.8 kilometers from Cusco.

They stayed there some years, sowing and harvesting their crops, yet they were unhappy, so they set off again for Tamboquiro, where they stayed for some years. Then, they went to Quirirmanta, at the foot of a hill. In Quirirmanta, they held a council and decided that Ayar Uchu should remain there, transformed into a main "huaca", called "Huanacauri".

In the world of the Andes, materializing oneself in stone was a way of perpetuating divinity or conferring the nature of holiness; that is why Ayar Uchu was able to communicate with his brothers, in spite of his being transformed into stone.

The same researcher mentions that Mama Huaco was one of the leaders of the group and that, in the town of Matagua, this extremely strong and skilful woman took two golden poles and threw them northward. The first pole, falling in Colocabamba, did not pierce the ground because it was too hard. The second one was thrown onto a place called Guayanaypata and this time it stuck in the ground. Other story tellers told Sarmiento de Gamboa that it was Manco Capac, not Mama Huaco, who threw the magic pole that signaled the permanent settlement.

The wandering ayllus (tribes) tried to reach the chosen place but had to return to Matagua because the local inhabitants opposed strong resistance against them. While they were there, Ayar Manco ordered Ayar Auca to settle at the spot marked by the pole. Auca flew to this place, so as to comply with his brother's order but, when he landed, he turned to stone. According to Andean beliefs, the "guanca" or stones were landmarks indicating ownership of land. That is how, Auca, materialized as a rock, was the first to settle on the long-awaited chosen place. In this manner, Auca, transformed to stone, but yet able to communicate with his brother, ordered him to be called Manco Capac from that moment on. According to Sarmiento de Gamboa, "Cusco" meant, in the language spoken at that time, "settling a place by magic". Garcilazo believed that "Cusco" was the name for the "Navel of the World " in the special tongue of the Incas.

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