Discovered in 1999 near a volcanic peak over 500 years after her death, the 15-year-old Inca girl known as “La Doncella” or “The Maiden” was so well-preserved she appeared to have only recently passed away. Her condition has offered a unique opportunity to study the past and the final moments of her life. Through careful scientific study, the details surrounding her death high in the Andes mountains have been slowly uncovered.
Discovery at Llullaillaco
In March 1999, an expedition led by co-directors Johan Reinhard and Constanza Ceruti ascended the 22,110-foot summit of Mount Llullaillaco, a volcano on the border of Argentina and Chile. Exploring what is now considered the world’s highest archaeological site, the team discovered the frozen bodies of three Inca children. The children had been sacrificed around the year 1500.
The children were buried 1.5 meters beneath the ground in separate tombs. The eldest, a girl of about 15, was named “La Doncella.” She was found alongside a younger boy, aged four to five, and a six-year-old girl whose body showed evidence of being struck by lightning after her burial, earning her the name “Lightning Girl.”
The remains were in excellent condition, with their skin, internal organs, and even the hair on their arms left intact. Alongside the children, researchers recovered 146 artifacts, including gold and silver statues, fine textiles, and pottery. These items offered further context about the Inca rituals.
The Capacocha Ceremony
The three children were central figures in a solemn Inca ritual known as capacocha. This ceremony was performed to mark momentous occasions such as the death of an emperor, a military victory, or to prevent natural disasters. The sacrifices were offerings to the gods, whom the Inca believed controlled the natural world.
Children were chosen for this ceremony based on their physical perfection and purity, making them worthy offerings to the deities. Selected from noble families, their sacrifice was considered an honor that could bring the family political favor. The Inca believed these children did not die but joined their ancestors to watch over their communities from sacred mountain tops, or huacas.
The journey to the sacrifice site was a long procession, sometimes covering thousands of kilometers over several months. The ritual often began in the Inca capital of Cusco with feasts and ceremonies. The children were then taken to high-altitude shrines for the final offering, a practice that helped unify the vast empire.
Scientific Revelations from the Maiden
Analysis of La Doncella’s well-preserved hair has provided a narrative of her final year. Isotope analysis showed a dietary shift about one year before her death, from a peasant diet of potatoes to a high-status diet of maize and llama meat. This change indicates when she was selected for the capacocha and prepared for her journey to the gods.
Toxicology analysis of her hair revealed that she began consuming coca leaves and alcohol about a year before her death, with a marked increase in the final weeks. The presence of cocaethylene, a metabolite formed when cocaine and alcohol are consumed together, confirmed she was heavily sedated. This combination of substances, including chicha (a maize beer), was likely used to make her more compliant and to dull her senses to the cold and altitude. A clump of coca leaves was even found still clenched in her cheek.
CT scans revealed that her lungs were expanded and she had a bacterial lung infection, similar to tuberculosis, at the time of her death. This finding provides insight into health challenges in the 15th-century Inca Empire. Unlike other capacocha victims, La Doncella showed no signs of physical violence, suggesting she was placed in her tomb and allowed to fall asleep before dying from exposure.
Unprecedented Preservation and Importance
The preservation of the Llullaillaco mummies is due to the unique environmental conditions of their burial site. The extreme cold, low oxygen, and arid environment of the high Andes froze the bodies before dehydration could cause the shriveling of organs. This natural freezing process left their bodies, including internal organs, blood, and soft tissues, intact.
This preservation allows for the analysis of intact DNA, proteins, and biochemical markers in hair. This gives researchers a direct window into the diet, health, and daily life of the Inca that skeletal remains cannot offer. For example, the discovery of La Doncella’s lung infection was only possible because her soft tissues were preserved.
Today, the Maiden and the other Llullaillaco children are housed in cryopreservation capsules at the Museum of High Altitude Archaeology in Salta, Argentina. Maintained at -20°C in a low-oxygen environment, they continue to offer insights into the Inca world. Their discovery provides a direct connection to the past, humanizing ancient rituals and offering data for understanding Inca culture.