Inca mummies: Child sacrifice victims fed drugs and alcohol

[Cidersomerset]

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30 July 2013 Last updated at 00:46

Inca mummies: Child sacrifice victims fed drugs and alcoholBy Rebecca Morelle

Science reporter, BBC World Service

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/69011000/jpg/_69011127_llullaillacomaiden1-copyrightjohanreinhard.jpg

Johan Reinhard Tests on the 13-year-old's hair revealed she was given large amounts of alcohol


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Tests on three mummies found in Argentina have shed new light on the Inca practice of
child sacrifice.Scientists have revealed that drugs and alcohol played a key part in the
months and weeks leading up to the children's deaths. Tests on one of the children, a
teenage girl, suggest that she was heavily sedated just before her demise.

The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr Emma Brown, from the department of archaeological sciences at the University of
Bradford, said: "The Spanish chroniclers suggest that children were sacrificed for all
kinds of reasons: important life milestones in the lives of the Incas, in times of war or
natural disasters, but there was a calendar of rituals too."

Frozen in time

The mummified remains were discovered in 1999, entombed in a shrine near the
summit of the 6,739m-high Llullaillaco volcano in Argentina.Three children were buried
there: a 13-year-old girl, and a younger boy and girl, thought to be about four or five
years old. Their remains date to about 500 years ago, during the time of the Inca
empire, which dominated South America until the Europeans arrived at the end of the 15th Century.

"The preservation is phenomenal - they've been called the best preserved mummies in
the world," explained Dr Brown.

"These three children look like they are asleep."

The international team of researchers used forensic tests to analyse the chemicals found
in the children's hair.They discovered that all three had consumed alcohol and coca
leaves (from which cocaine is extracted) in the final months of their lives.Historical
records reveal that these substances were reserved for the elite and often used in Incan
rituals.

Death from exposure

An analysis of the teenage girl's hair, which was longer than the hair of the younger
victims, revealed more. The girl, known as the "Llullaillaco maiden", was probably
considered more highly valued than the younger children, because of her virginal status.

Tests on her long braids revealed that her coca consumption increased sharply a year
before her death.The scientists believe this corresponds to the time she was selected for
sacrifice. Earlier research also reveals that her diet changed at this point too, from a
potato-based peasant diet to one rich in meat and maize. Dr Brown explained: "From
what we know of the Spanish chronicles, particularly attractive or gifted women were
chosen. The Incas actually had someone who went out to find these young women and
they were taken from their families."

The results also revealed that the girl ingested large amounts of alcohol in the last few
weeks of her life. It suggests she was heavily sedated before she and the other children
were taken to the volcano, placed in their tombs and left to die.

"In the case of the maiden, there is no sign of violence. She is incredibly well looked
after: she has a good layer of fat, she has beautifully groomed hair, beautiful clothes,"
said Dr Brown.

"In this case we think with the combination of being placed in the grave with the alcohol
and the cold - the mountain is over 6,000m above sea level - she would have passed
away quietly."

The mummies are now housed in the Museum of High Altitude Archaeology in Salta, Argentina.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23496345

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Trois Momies Incas

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[seeker/reader]

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[Carmody]

You are indulging in the straw man argument.

You are reading your own interpretation of the words spoken, and deciding in your head...what they mean, then telling us and yourself what the other person said, when both the interpretation and the following announcement by you..are personally derived fabrications.

In your quote, is nothing more than the word recorded of what the person said.

YOU are creating the projection of context of what this other person said.

The person never said a single thing about whether they agreed with the whole action sequence that seems to be contained in the analysis of the mummified remains...., or not. They said NO such thing. they made no such comment.

Meaning, their emotions were not in control of their mind and logic, but yours are notably evident in being in control of you.

To add, you made personal attacks on their character, which is more of the same - and even deeper into the same hole.

We need less of that in this world, not more, as it is the source of the problem. :)

[sdv]

I saw this article and something fascinated me (thanks for this thread Cidersomerset!), so I have a question to ask:

Why does the bridge of her nose extend the whole width of her forehead right up to her hairline? Any ideas?

EDIT Sorry, I see know that that image is the reconstruction of what she would have looked like. It just looks weird though. Why would someone do that in doing a reconstruction? Was it unfinished when they took the pics and this is just lazy unfinished work?

[Flash]

"In the case of the maiden, there is no sign of violence. She is incredibly well looked
after: she has a good layer of fat, she has beautifully groomed hair, beautiful clothes,"
said Dr Brown.

"In this case we think with the combination of being placed in the grave with the alcohol
and the cold - the mountain is over 6,000m above sea level - she would have passed
away quietly."


WTH??? I am sorry but Dr. Brown sounds like a brain washed, deluded moron........she said, "There is no sign of violence. She is incredibly well looked after."

So drugging a child so the can "quietly" freeze to death (via entombment) for the purposes of sacrifice is considered a non-violent action according to her.

I call :bs: on Dr. Brown and her interpretation of this "well taken care of" sacrifice. She is :loco: and :confused:.

They explain in the French video that we, the scientists, consider them as victims, but that for the Incas, being chosen to die was a real honor for those children, it was an honor given to them as well.

Then they add that at least they did not suffer violence, the word suffer is important here, this is more empathetic wording than anything else in my view. The coca given to them was for their bodies to adapt to low pressure and lack of oxygen while climbing out, not to keep them quiet. (actual Andy's Indian still use the same).

[eva08]

Still saddening