Chemical Analysis Reveals Drug Use in Inca Sacrificial Rituals

Eight mummified bodies yielded traces of cocaine, alcohol, and psychoactive compounds, according to a new study published in the journal Antiquity. The research team analyzed hair and nail samples from these remains to reconstruct the substances consumed by children and young women during Inca sacrificial ceremonies known as capacocha. The findings offer the most detailed chemical profile to date of the offerings made in these high-altitude rituals.

The study examined eight individuals recovered from mountain shrines in Peru and Argentina. Lead author Dr. Dagmara Socha, from the University of Warsaw, explained that earlier analyses often produced negative results or focused exclusively on coca leaves. Recent advances in toxicology now allow researchers to identify low concentrations of various substances embedded in the keratin structures of hair and nails.

Cocaine was detected in all eight mummies, confirming the consumption of coca leaves. Historical records indicate that coca held a central place in Inca religious beliefs and was used as an offering to deities. The substance may also have assisted the children in coping with altitude sickness and exhaustion during the difficult journeys to remote mountain sites.

Four of the mummies showed evidence of alcohol consumption. Researchers believe this alcohol likely came from chicha, a traditional fermented maize drink. Historical accounts describe chicha being administered to children in the final stages of the ritual, potentially to calm them and dull their senses before death.

The most distinct finding came from the remains of the Lady of Ampato, also known as Juanita, whose body was discovered on a mountain in southern Peru. Researchers detected traces of harmine, an alkaloid associated with plants of the Banisteriopsis genus. These species are traditionally used in the preparation of ayahuasca, a psychoactive ceremonial drink.

Dr. Socha noted that the detection of harmine in Juanita suggests a specific role for harmine-containing beverages in ceremonies connected with that particular sacred mountain. The presence of this compound indicates that the ritual preparations were not uniform across all sites.

The variation in detected substances implies that the capacocha was not conducted according to a single standardized procedure throughout the Inca Empire. Instead, the ceremonies appear to have been adapted to local religious traditions and the specific deities or sacred mountains involved. This flexibility in ritual practice reflects the diverse religious landscape of the Inca state.

The preserved state of the mummies provided a rare opportunity for this type of investigation. Chemicals consumed during life became embedded in the hair and nails, allowing for a post-mortem toxicological assessment. The study highlights how modern scientific techniques are uncovering details about the lives of these children and the specific mechanics of their sacrifice.

Dr. Socha concluded that five hundred years after the events, new technologies are revealing the complexity of Inca religious practices. The data shows that the capacocha was not a monolithic ritual but a practice that shifted according to local cults and traditions. The research provides a clearer picture of the substances administered to the victims and the varying nature of the ceremonies at different locations.