Q&A...
1. What is the mummy/mummies name?
Juanita
2. Where was the mummy found?
Mount Ampato, Peru (look on map page for more information) in 1995
3. How was the mummy preserved?
Juanita was preserved in a natural form of preservation, she was almost perfectly frozen. (look at the Science Behind Her Mummification page for more)
4. How well preserved was the mummy? What condition was it in?
Juanita is known to be one of the best preserved mummies ever. All of her flesh, organs, and blood were preserved, and even her last meal is visible. She ate 6-8 vegetables before her death, some still going through her digestive system! She was found dressed in alpaca wool, and her outfit was intact. All of her body parts were intact. The only deformity found was that the right eye socket was collapsed into her skull. Result of her death. Look at question 7 for more information on her death.
5. Was her mummification accidental or on purpose?
Juanita's mummification was accidental.
6. What is known about her people and her life?
Juanita was an Incan girl, and was a sacrifice to the Incan gods. In the Incan religion, being sacrificed was a great honor, and she was chosen at birth. She is believed to have died between the ages of 11-15. She is supposedly a noble. An estimated time period for her life was between 1450-1480. She is said to have been dead for over 500 years.
7. How did she die?
As mentioned before, she was a sacrifice to the Incan gods. Scientists have found traces of alcohol in her system, leading to the belief that she was sedated before her death. She died from a blunt trauma to the head, as if someone had hit her with a baseball bat. This caused internal bleeding leading to her death, and the collapse of the right eye socket.
8. Was she found with anything?
Juanita was found with items such as pins, bowls, golden, silver and shell figurines.
9. What does this mummy tell us about the mummies society or time they lived in?
This mummy tells us that one, the children sacrifices were traditional among their culture. Juanita also tells us a bit about the Incan class system. The nobles were clearly kept in good health, and they were fed well.
Cool info:
She had a virtual autopsy taken
Dental analysis revealed most information
Her stomach was still digesting!
Juanita
2. Where was the mummy found?
Mount Ampato, Peru (look on map page for more information) in 1995
3. How was the mummy preserved?
Juanita was preserved in a natural form of preservation, she was almost perfectly frozen. (look at the Science Behind Her Mummification page for more)
4. How well preserved was the mummy? What condition was it in?
Juanita is known to be one of the best preserved mummies ever. All of her flesh, organs, and blood were preserved, and even her last meal is visible. She ate 6-8 vegetables before her death, some still going through her digestive system! She was found dressed in alpaca wool, and her outfit was intact. All of her body parts were intact. The only deformity found was that the right eye socket was collapsed into her skull. Result of her death. Look at question 7 for more information on her death.
5. Was her mummification accidental or on purpose?
Juanita's mummification was accidental.
6. What is known about her people and her life?
Juanita was an Incan girl, and was a sacrifice to the Incan gods. In the Incan religion, being sacrificed was a great honor, and she was chosen at birth. She is believed to have died between the ages of 11-15. She is supposedly a noble. An estimated time period for her life was between 1450-1480. She is said to have been dead for over 500 years.
7. How did she die?
As mentioned before, she was a sacrifice to the Incan gods. Scientists have found traces of alcohol in her system, leading to the belief that she was sedated before her death. She died from a blunt trauma to the head, as if someone had hit her with a baseball bat. This caused internal bleeding leading to her death, and the collapse of the right eye socket.
8. Was she found with anything?
Juanita was found with items such as pins, bowls, golden, silver and shell figurines.
9. What does this mummy tell us about the mummies society or time they lived in?
This mummy tells us that one, the children sacrifices were traditional among their culture. Juanita also tells us a bit about the Incan class system. The nobles were clearly kept in good health, and they were fed well.
Cool info:
She had a virtual autopsy taken
Dental analysis revealed most information
Her stomach was still digesting!