Inca Mummies In Peru

Johan Reinhard, a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, discovered a frozen Inca mummy on the summit of Mount Ampato in Peru. The mummies found in Peru are sometimes called the capacocha mummies, named after the ancient ritual that ended with a sacrifice of their lives. The ceremony involved the ritual sacrifice of children, as well as tribute payment of gold, silver, spondylus shell, cloth, feathers, llamas, and alpacas. Finally, at the ceremony the children were suffocated, then killed with a blow to the head or buried alive after ritual inebriation. There has been roughly 35 child burials associated with the Inca Empire that have been archaeologically identified. Additionally, these burials are found within the Andean mountains to

the edges of the Inca Empire. Most notably from Peru, is Momia Juanita also known as the Ice Maiden and Lady of Ampato. Her body is one of the well preserved bodies found from the Capacoha mummies. However, the three mummies found on Llullaillaco, Argentina are considered to be much better preserved by Johan Reinhard. Furthermore, each of their remains allowed archaeologists to determine their lifestyle before their death in the ceremony. Each of the children had consistently consumed coca leaves and alcohol, as well as had food such as maize and dried llama meat a year before they died. The alcohol and coca induced inebriated states that were considered associated with the sacred. However, the substances played a role in sedating the young victims to make them accept their own grim fates of being sacrificed. Andrew Wilson of the University of Bradford considered The Maiden to be remarkably preserved, “In terms of mummies that are known around the world, in my opinion she has to be the best preserved