Hundreds of visitors were awe struck upon viewing the well-preserved remains of a 15-year old Inca girl, nicknamed “la Doncella,” on display for the first time at the High Mountain Archaeological Museum in Salta, Argentina. The mummy, found in 1999 on Llullaillaco volcano with the bodies of two other children, is believed to have been sacrificed over 5 centuries ago during an Inca corn harvest ceremony. The well-dressed children were given corn alcohol and likely left to die of exposure on the 22,080 foot high volcano in an environment which helped mummify and preserve their remains.A highly controversial counter explanation has been offered by Bruce Wittmore, chairman of the National “Leave No Rod Spared” campaign. Mr. Wittmore, who has no archaeological or anthropological training, suggests the sacrifices might merely have been parental measures taken to reign in unruly teens. “Even ancient peoples had problem children,” argued Mr. Wittmore. “Now it is true that this particular example of corporal punishment brushes up against what we might today consider acceptable. But you have to keep in mind the cultural differences at play here.”
Museum director Marbriel Gamont disagreed. “That's preposterous,” stated Mr. Gamont. “There is no evidence in the archaeological record of Inca parents using bodily harm as punishment for misbehaving children. Now, clearly they inflicted a world of hurt upon them for other reasons. But as punishment for misbehaving? Absurd. The very suggestion is indicative of modernity's backward ways and disrespectful to the ancient Inca spirit.”
Indigenous groups fought unsuccessfully to keep the mummy from going on display charging such an exhibit is disrespectful to the Inca spirit. Siruez Muagel representing the Calchaquies valley tribes surrounding Salta pleaded with scientists to change their ways. “Please stop digging up my ancestors and putting them in temperature and humidity controlled Plexiglas cases.”
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