Momia Juanita (‘Mummy Juanita’) is the name given to the mummy of a 15th century Incan girl who was discovered in Peru in 1995. She is known also as the ‘Lady of Ampato’, and the ‘Inca Ice Maiden’, the first because she was found on the top of Mount Ampato, a dormant volcano in the Andes, and the second because her body was preserved due to the frigid temperatures on top of that mountain.

Researchers have suggested that Mummy Juanita was a victim of an important Incan sacrificial rite known as Capacocha (Capac Cocha), which has sometimes been translated as ‘royal obligation’. […] This rite required the Inca to sacrifice the best and healthiest amongst them. This was done in an attempt to appease1 the gods, thereby ensuring a good harvest, or to prevent some natural disaster. Based on the location where the girl was sacrificed, it has been suggested that the ritual may have been connected to the worship2 of Mount Ampato.

When Momia Juanita was discovered, she was wrapped up in a bundle3. Apart from the remains of the young girl, the bundle also contained various artifacts, including numerous miniature clay statues, shells, and gold objects. These were left as offerings to the gods. Archaeologists have proposed that these objects, along with food, coca leaves, and chicha, an alcoholic drink distilled from corn, would have been brought by the priests as they led the girl up the mountain.

The latter two would have been used to sedate the child, said to be a common practice used by the Incas before they sacrificed their victims. Once the victim was in this intoxicated state, the priests would carry out the sacrifice. In the case of Momia Juanita, it was revealed with radiology, that a club4 blow to the head caused massive hemorrhage, resulting in her death.

Another scientific analysis that revealed interesting information about Momia Juanita’s life is the isotopic analysis of her hair, which was made possible as it was so well preserved. This analysis provided researchers with information about the girl’s diet. […]. Before being chosen for the sacrifice, she had a standard Incan diet, which included potatoes and vegetables. This changed, however, about a year prior to the sacrifice, as it was found that she began to consume animal proteins and maize, which were the foods of the elites.

Today, Mummy Juanita is being housed in the Museo Santuarios Andinos in Arequipa, a city not far from Mount Ampato. The mummy is kept in a special case5 that carefully maintains the temperature and humidity within it, to ensure the preservation of these remains for the future.

Source: https://www.ancient-origins.net/history/mummy-juanita-sacrifice-inca-ice-maiden- 009800?fbclid=IwAR3aHGa56PN1Q3GXAiMFvFmStqNamq56MFGU9Mowtf4N4LVT2tZwfv6PwpA

Glossary:

¹ to appease: apaziguar; ² worship: culto, adoração; ³ bundle: trouxa, pacote; ⁴ club: taco, porrete; ⁵ case: caixa, cápsula

Assinale a alternativa correta com relação à Juanita, de acordo com o texto.