Jun 22, 2026 05:12 PM
https://phys.org/news/2026-06-human-sacr...riven.html
EXCERPTS: Three decades ago, researchers working atop the Llullaillaco volcano, located on the border between Argentina and Chile, discovered exceptionally well-preserved remains. The find included the mummified bodies of three children along with associated artifacts. The site became known as the Capacocha burial, which was linked to the Inca ritual by the same name, which involved sacrificing children and young women.
In a recent study published in Archaeometry, researchers turned to the coca leaves, manioc seeds and maize grains found among the offerings surrounding a buried maiden. By combining radiocarbon dating and stable isotope analysis of these short-lived plant remains, researchers were able to pinpoint a more precise timeframe for the burial.
The resulting dates were then compared with the timing of major religious and political events to determine whether the burial coincided with them.
The analysis places the capacocha ritual atop Llullaillaco volcano sometime between 1462 and 1507 CE, a window that aligns neatly with the reigns of two Inca emperors, Topa Inca and Huayna Capac. That timing suggests the ceremony may have been about more than honoring the mountain gods, as it could have served a political purpose, too. Given the era, both reasons seem likely.
[...] The researchers note that political motives behind the sacrifice remain plausible, but it was not a single act celebrating victory over an enemy. They suggest that capacocha may have been part of a broader Inca strategy to strengthen their hold over the empire while promoting shared beliefs and responding to social or environmental challenges. The timing also does not match any major volcanic eruption or extreme climate event, suggesting that the burial was not simply a response to a natural disaster... (MORE - missing details)
EXCERPTS: Three decades ago, researchers working atop the Llullaillaco volcano, located on the border between Argentina and Chile, discovered exceptionally well-preserved remains. The find included the mummified bodies of three children along with associated artifacts. The site became known as the Capacocha burial, which was linked to the Inca ritual by the same name, which involved sacrificing children and young women.
In a recent study published in Archaeometry, researchers turned to the coca leaves, manioc seeds and maize grains found among the offerings surrounding a buried maiden. By combining radiocarbon dating and stable isotope analysis of these short-lived plant remains, researchers were able to pinpoint a more precise timeframe for the burial.
The resulting dates were then compared with the timing of major religious and political events to determine whether the burial coincided with them.
The analysis places the capacocha ritual atop Llullaillaco volcano sometime between 1462 and 1507 CE, a window that aligns neatly with the reigns of two Inca emperors, Topa Inca and Huayna Capac. That timing suggests the ceremony may have been about more than honoring the mountain gods, as it could have served a political purpose, too. Given the era, both reasons seem likely.
[...] The researchers note that political motives behind the sacrifice remain plausible, but it was not a single act celebrating victory over an enemy. They suggest that capacocha may have been part of a broader Inca strategy to strengthen their hold over the empire while promoting shared beliefs and responding to social or environmental challenges. The timing also does not match any major volcanic eruption or extreme climate event, suggesting that the burial was not simply a response to a natural disaster... (MORE - missing details)