Inca Ice Mummies Reveal Violent Deaths

Around 500 years ago, Inca children were sacrificed in a ritual known as Capacocha, intended for them to become messengers to the gods. Their remains were left on high Andean peaks, where the cold preserved their bodies, clothing, and even hairstyles remarkably well. Recent CT scans on four of these ice mummies, including the Lady of Ampato discovered in 1995, have revealed a more violent end than previously assumed.

Previously believed to have been abandoned, these children likely suffered fatal head trauma. One young girl experienced an "instantaneous and violent" death from a blunt force blow, while the Lady of Ampato also showed fractures in her pelvis and chest. Further examination revealed evidence of deliberate mummification, with one girl's body showing signs of "post-mortem manipulation," including missing bones and internal stuffing.

Contrary to common assumptions, these children were not always in perfect health; an 8-year-old girl displayed signs of chronic illness. This finding, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, suggests that the children's living conditions may have been difficult, and that historical accounts from European chroniclers might not fully represent Inca ideals.