Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE CHILDREN GIVEN TO THE MOUNTAIN
The phrase 'human sacrifice' is sensationalist, but it is a fact that the Inca culture
from time to time offered the lives of high-born children to please or appease their
gods. The Inca saw this as an offering to ensure the continuing fertility of their
people and the land. The high peaks of the Cordillera de los Andes were always
considered sacred, and were chosen as sites for the sacrifices. The Inca felt that
the children didn't die as such, but were reunited with their forefathers, who
watched over the communities from the highest peaks.
The children, carefully selected for the role, were taken to the ceremonial capital
of Cuzco, where they were the centerpieces of a large celebration - the capacocha.
Ceremonial marriages between them helped to cement diplomatic links between
tribes across the Inca empire. At the end of the fiesta, they were paraded twice
around the plaza, and then had to return home in a straight line - an arduous jour-
ney that could take months. Once home, they were feted and welcomed, and then
taken into the mountains. They were fed, and given quantities of chicha(an alco-
holic drink made from fermented maize) to drink. When they passed out, they were
taken up to the peak of the mountain and entombed, sometimes alive, presumably
never to awaken, and sometimes having been strangled or killed with a blow to the
head.
Three such children were found in 1999 near the peak of
Llullaillaco
, a 6739m
volcano some 480km west of Salta, on the Chilean border. It's the highest known
archaeological site in the world. The cold, low pressure and lack of oxygen and bac-
teria helped to preserve the bodies almost perfectly. The Doncella (Maiden) was
about 15 at the time of death, and was perhaps an aclla(a 'virgin of the sun'), a
prestigious role in Inca society. The other two, a boy and girl both aged six to seven
(the girl damaged by a later lightning strike), had cranial deformations that indic-
ated they came from high-ranking families. They were accompanied each by an
ajuar(a selection of grave goods), which included textiles and small figurines of hu-
manoids and camelids.
The mummies' transfer to Salta was controversial. Many felt they should have
been left where they were discovered, but this, once the location was known, would
have been impossible. Whatever your feelings on them, and the role of archae-
ology, they offer an undeniably fascinating glimpse of Inca religion and culture.
Eating
It's a toss-up between Salta and Tucumán for Argentina's best empanadas, but they're
wickedly toothsome in both places. Locals debate the merits of fried (in an iron skillet -
juicier) or baked (in a clay oven - tastier).
