Incan Mummies

Incan mummies were very rare. Not a lot of them survived after Pizarro had burnt them. Inca mummies share similar traits. The mummification process of the Inca was very precise and complicated. One of the things that made this process complicated was every Inca civilian was mummified.

Inca mummies were very well preserved. The reason they survived so long is because most of the mummies were found in the mountains. The mountains are very cold, so the mummies would freeze. This would keep them form deteriorating. Incan mummies are different from the common mummy, and were made in very specific way. Not only that but all of the people of various places on the social ladder were buried.

 What are the differences between the Incan mummy and the Egyptian mummy? Incan mummies are different form the common Egyptian mummy. The differences are, Incan mummies were made by sacrifice, and natural causes. Incan mummies were buried with all of their possessions inside of their wrappings. Their internal organs were kept inside of their bodies. They were then buried in the ground.  If the person were a king he would be seated on a special throne. Silver and gold would be on him.  Parts of animals were put on the outer layer of the mummy. They would put offerings to the gods onto the mummy.

 Egyptian mummies had their internal organs in jars that were in the tomb. The Egyptian mummies were wrapped lying down.  They would embalm the body and it would be a very expensive project. The Egyptian mummies were people who had all been buried for natural causes. They would have symbolic meanings on pins placed on their bodies. They wouldn’t have long tailored clothes on.

 The similarities would be mummification was a very important part of the religion. All people were mummified. Both believed that mummification was a rite of passage into the afterlife, and was highly important. Dead babies would also be buried with the dead person. Fake heads, and masks would be put on the mummy.

 The mummification process of the Inca isn’t very clear, for when Francisco Pizarro came he burned the books on the mummy making. He was a Christian and thought of the practices as barbaric. If they were a king then they would be put on a special throne, with the arms across their chest and their knees up to their chest. Then the Incans would be dressed in fancy clothes and adorned with pieces of gold and silver. The body may have been dried or treated.

 If they were poor then they would be put in a tomb above the ones in the ground, it was accessible, and people could leave gifts, food, or belongings. If they were sacrificed they were put in long fancy robes that were big so it allowed room to grow in, during the afterlife. Then they were wrapped up and some of the belongings were placed inside the wrappings. Then they were then put into the ground, which is why many Inca sacrifices that were discovered were frozen.

The people that became mummies were form all sides of the Incan society. Though it depends on how they were buried. If they were Royal they would have fancy clothes on. They would have gold and silver in their mouths and on their heads. If they were poor then they would be put into an open tomb, and welcome to visitors. When they were sacrificed they would have their belongings inside the wrappings. In Incan religion Incans could only pass on to the after life if they were good. If an Incan were bad then they would not pass on to the afterlife. Even children were sacrificed and buried.

 Incan were very sophisticated in the process of their mummification, they mummified every single person. They believed that the mummification was their portal into the afterlife. All in all the Incas were very creative in the way they made their mummies, and their work can still be seen today in selected museum.

  Information Citations: 

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“Mummy Bundles of Puruchuco.” National Geographic Channel. National Geographic Society, 2002. Web. 12 Jan. 2010. <http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/‌channel/‌content/‌inca/>.

Ramsager, Henry. “Inca Burial Etiquette.” Suite101. N.p., 25 Oct. 2006. Web. 12 Jan. 2010. <http://latinamericanhistory.suite101.com/‌article.cfm/‌inca_burial_etiquette>.

“Religion Children of the Sun.” MrDonn. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2010. <http://incas.mrdonn.org/‌religion.html>.

Unknown. “Inca mummies.” Think Quest. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2010. <http://library.thinkquest.org/‌28209/‌chachapoyas_mummies.htm>.

 Picture Citations: 

Inca Mummy. N.d. N.p., 2008. Web. 24 Jan. 2010. <http://www.colorado.edu/‌geography/‌class_homepages/‌geog_3251_sum08/>.

Martinez, Carlos. Inca Mummy . 2006. trekearth. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2010. <http://www.trekearth.com/‌gallery/‌photo297601.htm>.

Moore, Victoria. “Preserved Mummy of 500-Year-Old Inca ‘Ice Maiden’ Wows Visitors.” Mail Online. Assoc. Newspapers Ltd, n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2010. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/‌

news/‌article-480514/‌Preserved-mummy-500-year-old-Inca-Ice-Maiden-wows-visitors.html>.

No Incan Dinner Parties During the Summer (ca. 1500 AD). N.d. N.p., 2010. Web. 24 Jan. 2010. <http://ancientstandard.com/‌category/‌ancient-south-america/>.

Sutter, Dr. Richard. Child Mummy Sacrificed by the Inca. N.d. Dr. Richard Sutter. Dr. Sutter’s Mummy & Human Sacrifice Image Gallery. Web. 24 Jan. 2010. <http://users.ipfw.edu/‌sutterr/‌MummyGallery.html>.

By: Sian Parker