Content overview: “Inca Child Sacrifice Rituals: Toxicological Analysis Reveals Coca, Alcohol, and Psychedeli”. Archaeologists have conducted toxicological analyses on the mummified remains of individuals sacrificed in Inca mountain shrines, uncovering the psychoactive substances used in these rituals. The study, focusing on the Capacocha ceremony, reveals that victims—often children—were given coca leaves, a The study, focusing on the Capacocha ceremony, reveals that victims—often children—were given coca leaves, alcohol, and hallucinogenic plants like ayahuasca or vilca before their deaths.
These substances were likely used to calm and prepare the sacrificial offerings for their journey to the gods. The findings, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, shed light on the spiritual and political significance of these ceremonies, which reinforced Inca state power across the Andes. By analyzing hair samples from mummies found at high-altitude sites in Peru, Chile, and Argentina, researchers identified chemical traces that provide direct evidence of drug consumption. The full version stays on the original page, which this listing opens directly.