page_title: Capacocha
section_title: Llullaillaco
hierarchical_section_title: Capacocha / High-altitude sites / Llullaillaco
caption_attribution_description: Español: Momias del Llullaillaco en la provincia de Salta (Argentina). Français&#160;: Enfants de Llullaillaco à la province de Salta (Argentine). Português: Crianças de Llullaillaco na província de Salta (Argentina). English: Children of Llullaillaco in Salta province (Argentina).
context_page_description: Capacocha or Qhapaq hucha was an important sacrificial rite among the Inca that typically involved the sacrifice of children. The phrase Capacocha has also been translated to mean "solemn sacrifice" or "royal obligation." The rationale for this type of sacrificial rite has typically been understood as the Inca trying to ensure that humanity's best were sent to join their deities. Capacocha ceremonies took place under several circumstances. Some could be undertaken as the result of key events in the life of the Sapa Inca, the Inca Emperor, such as his ascension to the throne, an illness, his death, the birth of a son. At other times, Capacocha ceremonies were undertaken to stop natural disasters performed as major festivals or processions at important ceremonial sites. Capacocha ceremonies were performed at important shrines distributed across the empire, pagan Andean shrines are locally known as "huacas", alternative spellings include "waqa", "waq'a", "waka" or "wak'a".
context_section_description: One particularly noteworthy site was found near the summit of Mount Llullaillaco, a volcano in Argentina that lies near the Chilean border.  This mountain appears to have been the site of the conclusion of a capacocha ceremony, taking place at an elevation of around 6,739 meters above sea level.  In 1999, the mummies of three relatively young individuals were found at the top of the mountain alongside a diverse assemblage of artifacts.  Excavations around the main ceremonial structure, a rectangular platform, revealed the burials of a young woman of about 14 years of age, a girl of about 6 years of age, and a boy of about 7 years of age along with over 100 offerings of various materials.  Due to the frigid conditions, both the mummies and the materials were incredibly well preserved.  Some of the notable artifacts found at the site include a feathered headdress, well-made clothing, a number of ceramics, bowls and spoons made of wood, various food items, figurines made out of gold, silver, and spondylus, and other metal objects such as pins.
  Due to the incredible preservation of the children, a number of studies could be undertaken from their remains.  Hair samples indicate that the diets of the children underwent a momentous change in the year before their deaths.  This helps to indicate the care with which children were treated during their travels throughout the empire prior to their ultimate sacrifice.  Other changes in the isotopes found in the hair samples indicate that the children began their procession to the mountain several months prior to their death.  The preservation of both the human remains and the artifacts associated with them has been an invaluable source of information.
caption: One of the mummies recovered from Llullaillaco.
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