Viracocha

Supreme Inca god, synthesis of sun god and storm gods.

Legends of the Aymara Indians say that the Creator God Viracocha rose from Lake Titicaca during the time of darkness to bring forth light.

Viracocha was a storm god and a sun god who was represented as wearing the sun for a crown, with thunderbolts in his hands, and tears descending from his eyes as rain.

He wandered the earth disguised as a beggar and wept when he saw the plight of the creatures he had created, but knew that he must sustain them.
Viracocha made the earth, the stars, the sky and mankind, but his first creation displeased him, so he destroyed it with a flood and made a new, better one, taking to his wanderings as a beggar, teaching his new creations the rudiments of civilisation, as well as working numerous miracles.

Viracocha eventually disappeared across the Pacific Ocean (by walking on the water), setting off near Manta Ecuador, and never returned.

It was thought that Viracocha would re-appear in times of trouble.

References are also found of a group of men named the suncasapa or bearded ones - they were the mythic soldiers of Viracocha, aka the ‘angelic warriors of Viracocha�?

Note: Later one of the Inca Kings (the eighth Inca ruler) took on the name of Viracocha.

On the Gateway of the Sun, the famous carved figure on the decorated archway in the ancient (pre-Incan) city of Tiahuanaco most likely represents Viracocha, flanked by 48 winged effigies, 32 with human faces and 16 with condor's heads.

http://www.mythome.org/samg.html