Were Incan mummies sacrificed or ritually buried? - Facebook
: Her body was so well-preserved that her skin, hair, and even internal organs remained intact. La Doncella
: In her final months and hours, she was given large amounts of coca leaves and chicha (maize beer). This induced a stupor, allowing her to drift into a permanent sleep in her mountaintop tomb without a struggle. Were Incan mummies sacrificed or ritually buried
: She was found in a cross-legged position, wearing a ceremonial tunic and an elaborate feathered headdress, surrounded by gold and silver statues. Where to See Her This induced a stupor, allowing her to drift
(The Maiden) is one of the most remarkably preserved mummies ever discovered, a 15-year-old Inca girl frozen for over 500 years. Found in 1999 near the summit of the Llullaillaco volcano on the Argentina-Chile border, she was part of the three "Children of Llullaillaco" sacrificed in a sacred ritual known as capacocha . The Ritual: A Journey to the Divine
: She was left in a small stone chamber 6,739 meters (22,110 feet) above sea level, where she succumbed to exposure. Extraordinary Preservation
: Analysis of her hair reveals her diet shifted from peasant staples like potatoes to "elite" foods like maize and llama meat about a year before her death.