Juanita: The Inca Ice Maiden of Arequipa
The Museo Santuarios Andinos in Arequipa houses 'Juanita' — the perfectly preserved frozen mummy of a 14-year-old Inca girl sacrificed on the Ampato volcano circa 1450 CE; one of the best-preserved pre-Columbian human remains in the world
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Discovered by Johan Reinhard
Juanita was discovered in 1995 by the anthropologist Johan Reinhard on the volcano Ampato (6,380 m); the mummy was preserved by the extreme cold and dry Andean conditions; the discovery is considered one of the most famous archaeological finds of the 20th century
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Capacocha Ritual
Juanita was a capacocha victim — the Incan ritual of child sacrifice needed at important moments (the death of a ruler, a military victory, a natural disaster); the capacocha children were treated as divine — well fed, honored, and then sacrificed on high; the ritual was the highest honor in Inca society
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Physical preservation
Juanita's preservation is extraordinary - the cold and dry conditions at the Ampato summit preserved the body, clothing (a fine red textile) and accompanying offerings in near-perfect condition; the mummy's face, with closed eyes, has an expression of peaceful sleep
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Ampato Volcano Context
The volcano Ampato - visible from Arequipa alongside the Misti - was sacred to the Incas; the discovery of Juanita proved that the Incas sacrificed capacocha on the Arequipa volcanoes; the cultural and religious significance of the Arequipa volcanic chain in Inca cosmology is enormous
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Other Volcano Mummies
Juanita was not the only capacocha discovery - mummies were found on Llullaillaco (Argentina), Pichu Pichu and other Andean peaks; The Llullaillaco mummies (also perfectly preserved) are found in Salta, Argentina; the collection of Andean volcanic mummies rewrites the understanding of Inca religious practice
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Museum Experience
The Museo Santuarios Andinos is the only place to see Juanita - the mummy is displayed in a climate-controlled case and is visible on guided visits; the museum's presentation of the capacocha ritual, the Inca religion and the archaeological context make the visit deeply meaningful beyond the spectacle of the mummy itself
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More in Arequipa
Colca Canyon: Condors Above the World's Deepest Gorge
Arequipa Cuisine: Peru's Second Capital of Gastronomy
Collagua Textiles: The Living Art of the Colca Valley
Climbing El Misti: The Volcano Above Arequipa
Arequipa's Mestizo Baroque: Churches of Sillar Stone
