La Doncella was found with an entire wad of coca leaves still stuffed inside her left cheek. It is believed that she died from exposure after she was intoxicated with corn beer and fell asleep. The little boy she was sacrificed with wasn’t so lucky, as he fought against it and ultimately had to be tied down before he was intoxicated.
The bodies of multiple victims believed to have been sacrificed near the base of the Huaca Las Ventanas pyramid in Peru. Not quite mummies, but still evidence that sacrifice was a very real part of Inca life in pre-colonial times.
A solid gold idol found alongside the bodies of the one of the child victims in South America. Golden idols were just some of the things the children were buried with, as offerings to the gods and as provisions the child might need in the afterlife.
A cool fun fact: this is called a Quipu. It was the Inca alternative to keeping written records of the growing populace and is believed to have been one of the most ingenious forms of record keeping in the ancient world. Although the art of making and reading the Quipu has been lost, as the Spanish did not tolerate the Inca keeping a records system they could not understand, there have been a handful that have survived being destroyed. It’s been said a Quipu reader could decipher its meaning with his eyes closed!
Probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, is the mystery of the Inca Masonry. These stones, sometimes weighing more than 2 tons each, have been masterfully cut and seamlessly pieced together. How the Inca were able to do this using only primitive tools and techniques, and were able to make perfectly straight lines and 90° angles, has never been solved. Just think: we’re able to put a man on the moon and turn solid objects invisible but can not figure out how ancient stone-masons were able to make a perfect angle!!!
Ok, I’m done! I can go on forever.