CT Scans Reveal Gruesome Inca Child Sacrifices

Approximately 500 years ago, four children were sacrificed in a gruesome Inca ritual known as capacocha. Recent CT scans of their mummified remains, discovered on Peruvian volcanoes, offer rare direct insight into this ancient practice. The findings contradict historical chroniclers' descriptions, which portrayed sacrificed children as physically flawless. Instead, scientific analyses revealed that at least two of the children had chronic health issues.

One of the sacrificed children, identified as Ampato #4, presents unique findings. Her remains show signs of intentional modification after death, including the presence of rocks and textiles in her abdominal cavity, and missing bones. This suggests she may have been deliberately mummified, a practice previously known for rulers but now evidenced in a capacocha victim. This discovery indicates that sacrificed children might have played a continuing role in religious life, similar to ancestor mummies.

The sacrifices occurred on the Ampato and Sara Sara volcanoes in modern-day Peru. Historical sources describe capacocha as a significant ritual associated with imperial events, natural disasters, and celebrations. The remains of Ampato #1, Ampato #2, Ampato #4, and Sara Sara, though named after their discovery sites, provide invaluable direct evidence of these practices, allowing for a scientific verification of historical texts.