Scientists have shown what the face of the famous mummy of Juanita looked like during life
Scientists from Poland and Peru have made a living silicone face of Peru's most famous mummy, a teenage girl sacrificed in a ritual more than 500 years ago at the top of the Andes.
The mummified remains of an Inca girl were discovered near the Ampato volcano in the Peruvian Andes back in 1995. According to the place where it was found, the artifact was named “Lady Ampato,” and for simplicity, the scientists who examined the body began to call her “Juanita.”
To understand what the girl might have looked like during life, scientists used 3D scanning methods. Nilsson, a Swedish archaeologist and sculptor who specializes in 3D reconstructions of ancient human faces, said it took him about 400 hours of work to model the face.
Created by a team of Polish and Peruvian scientists working with a Swedish sculptor who specializes in facial reconstructions, the mummy's face was unveiled at a ceremony at the Museum of Andean Sanctuaries at the Catholic University of Santa Maria in Arequipa.
Researchers believe that "Juanita" was sacrificed to the Incan gods and then dumped into a burial pit at the foot of the volcano. Experts believe that the girl died from a strong blow to the head, which is typical for ritual murders.
The ancient Incas placed particular importance on sacrificial rituals, considering them an important way to appease the gods and ensure the well-being of their empire. One of the most mystical and at the same time disturbing aspects of their religious practices was the sacrifice of children and adolescents.
Inca victims, usually chosen for their beauty or nobility, were considered pure and unblemished, and thus most valuable to the gods. It was believed that such sacrifices would help ensure harvests, protect the empire from natural disasters, or pay tribute after important events.
Scientists believe that at the time of death, the girl was 14 or 15 years old, and she was sacrificed so that the gods would save the Incas from some kind of natural disaster. Her age and fate are reminiscent of the story of another famous mummy.