Cuencan roof crosses

We're in Cusco, and overwhelmed by the tourism aspect of this town.  It seems to be what it's about -- and that's new thing for us.  Understandable, in that people come mostly for MachuPicchu, are here for only a day or two before or after, hungry and wanting to see and buy the beauty of Peru -- but it's ugly seeing and being a part of it.  Hopefully, we'll get a different sense of the city once we're out of tourist central area.  Below is the last of Cuenca (perhaps) - may continue with older Cuenca if we don't fall in love here. 

We'd noticed roof ornamentation on lots of older buildings in Cuenca, and didn't understand.  Franco, our naturalist/guide to Cajas NP had studied this bit of heritage, and explained that roof crosses came with the Spaniards (when they took over Cuenca in 1550s), as a way to mark homes' inhabitants by their class, heritage and faith.  All Catholics, of course, (by Spanish mandate) but some more worthy than others.

• Spaniards marked their homes with a simple marble/stone cross.
• Mestizos (indigenous/Spaniard mix)  used iron crosses and incorporated extensive imagery in their roof decorations --  angels representing conception; ladder for the passion of Christ; a cock representing St. Peter's three denials of Christ before the cock crowed; a heart, representing the heart of Christ, etc.
• Indigenous used rock/stone crosses, with imagery of the moon (from their traditional matriarchal religion), doves (for peace), and balls (for fun?).

Indigenous folks live here -- the moon still a part of their religious iconography.

Lots going on here, mestizo within.

Simple stone -- a true Spaniard lived within.

Mixed family, installed in 1964. 

Mixed and pretty fancy, installed 1914.

Mestizo, farmer, bringing all the imagery to play. 

Simple stone, Spaniard here.

Not sure, but it's iron. 

Another authority(?) told us that it was up to the family's godfather to place the cross.   They have a long spike for installation.

We found the area of Cuenca that historically has made the iron crosses.  Vulcan was an iron worker, and his statue hangs out in the area. 

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Big plaza in the ironworks area, with Vulcan and a volcano

Vulcan at work.

Many newer homes never get 'crossed', the tradition apparently is continued primarily in indigenous homes, while others sometimes put a cross on their home for decorative purposes, not necessarily adhering to the older class requirements. Some folks these days put other stuff on their roofs, modern variations of the tradition.  

: ) -- many of this modern type.