Naupa Iglesia apparently pre-dates the Inca. But that doesn't explain the scallop shells. Scallops (Peruvian scallops - Argopecten purpuratus) are, and were a commonly consumed food source for coastal peoples but that doesn't explain their presence half-way up an Ande. Except the shells are a convenient bowl shape, handy for scooping water vid Santiago at the Alto de Perdon, and as a boat or vessel, vid Aphrodite's passage to shore after her conception and birth in the foaming sea. It would seem in this context they are used to hold the offering of 3 Coca Leaves and a blossom left as an offering to the Naupa.
I paraphrase from a couple of dubious sources: The Naupa existed in a time before our time, in a world that existed before ours. These beings inhabited the planet long before us and were called the Ă‘aupa by the indigenous peoples of the central Andes.
Their earth was different from ours. There were no bright days or dark nights, just an ambient glow and a steady temperature. When this began to change and the great Inti, the sun god, brought night and day to the world, the Ă‘aupa retreated to the tallest mountains to dwell within them. They became the apus, the mountain spirits to whom the Andean people offered sacrifice and asked for protection.
For a few fleeting minutes during dawn and dusk, the world temporarily resembles its state in ancient times, and the Ă‘aupa are able to leave the mountains to visit what was once their home. For this reason, visiting these sacred peaks during this time is not recommended, as contact with these otherworldly beings can bring illness or even cause death.
Presumably an offering can be used to mitigate the risk.
