The Ice Maiden

    Chachapoyas mummies

Background of the Chachapoyas

The people of Chachapoyas lived in an area now known as northern Peru from 800 A.D to bout 1475 A.D. Their vast agriculture, monuments and cities all indicates that they had been highly evolved. In 1480, the Inca Tupac Yupanqui, an Inca ruler conquered Chachapoyas who were also known as "cloud people".

Where were the mummies found

The well-preserved mummies which survived close to 500 years were found in a cache in the cloud-covered forest of the Peruvian Andes in November 1996. In July 1997, Sonia Guilles, a Peruvian archaeologist and some team members arrived to explore the region. They found that the cloth wrappings of the mummies was cut open by looters who tried to find jewellery. Some antiquities artifacts and valuable scientific information were lost. The mummies, without their protective layer, started to decay.

How were they made

A detailed analysis has not been released, but one thing for sure was that the mummies were not made accidentally. X-rays showed that their internal organs had been removed. The skin was embalmed through some treatment. Cotton was filled into the facial cavity. The Chachapoyas also chose a site covered by ledge, one of the driest places in the jungles to ensure the preservation.