User:Ramirezd2/Capacocha

Quehuar
Another noteworthy capacocha site is present near the summit of the extinct Quehuar volcano, reaching an altitude of 6,130 meters in northwestern Argentina. At the top of the mountain is a raised ceremonial platform, or ushnu, attached to a frontal ramp near a circular walled structure. Various offerings and a sacrificial victim were found contained within the walled structure. However, prior to archeological excavation the platform, the walled structure, and its contents had been damaged by looters with dynamite. Through DNA and x-ray long bone analysis the body was identified as the remains of an approximately 12 year old female. However, partial destruction of the body by dynamite made it impossible to determine her cause of death. It is believed that the sacrificial victim was buried with the clothing she wore at the moment of her death, and then wrapped post-mortem into a bundle with outer textiles. This trend has also been documented in the Llullaillaco and Aconcagua sites.

Scattered offerings recovered from the area included textiles, pottery shards, food, and the remains of a sacrificed camelid. Additionally, a small bundle of offerings was discovered containing sandals, cutlery, wooden and ceramic dishes, food items, a comb, and coal. Furthermore, a damaged tunic and a small female figurine made of spondylus shell (dressed in miniature versions of cumbi clothes) was recovered from the platform. The presence of the spondylus shell at the site is thought to be an offering for fertility, and is also characteristic of the Llullaillaco, Esmeralda, Chuscha, and Aconcagua sites.

Ampato
The Ampato summit rises up to 6,312 meters in southern Peru, with a funerary complex located at 5,852 meters. Four capacocha sacrifices were found at this site, representing two distinct ceremonies. The first sacrifice discovered was a girl estimated to be between 13 to 15 years old (based upon her tooth development), popularly referred to as “Juanita” or “The Ampato Ice Maiden.”  DNA testing determined that Juanita was related to individuals living in northern Peru and Argentina, and was likely not related to villages near Ampato. Juanita’s body was discovered 70 meters below the summit, where she presumably landed after the collapse of her funerary platform. She was wrapped in high quality decorated textiles and surrounded by her funerary assemblage, including pottery, chuspas (some containing coca leaves or hair), llama bones, and four female figurines crafted from spondylus shell. A needle biopsy of Juanita’s stomach revealed that she had been fed a large meal of vegetables around 6 to 8 hours before her sacrifice. Additionally, a CT scan indicated she was killed with a blow to the head.

The other three capacocha sacrifices interred at Ampato were found marked by stone circles within the funerary complex, and were all between the ages of 8 and 12. Two girls and one boy were discovered, all believed to have been sacrificed for the same ceremony. The first girl found at the site had an unusual burial compared to the other capacocha burials, as it appeared six pots had been ritually broken on her grave. Her body was dressed with a macaw feather headdress and sandals, and was buried with numerous ceramic vessels, figurines, cups, spoons, and weaving tools. The male child was adorned with a vegetable fiber headdress and had elongated pierced earlobes, indicating he may have been the son of an elite family. He was buried with ceramic vessels, cups, and a male figurine. The second female body found was also buried with multiple ceramic vessels, as well as a female figurine crafted from spondylus shell. All three mummies were damaged by lightning strikes, preventing soft tissue research from being done on their bodies.

Potential Sites to write on (not exhaustive):

Chañi

La plata island, would be under a separate section

(and many more)