The well-preserved mummy of an Inca maiden (la Doncella) that archaeologists discovered in 1999 has gone on display for the first time in a museum in Salta, Argentina. The chamber in which the mummy is displayed is filled with cold air that recreates the sub-freezing conditions in which she was found. Seated with her legs bent and her arms resting on her stomach, the Maiden’s remains are still adorned with a grey shawl and bone and metal ornaments.
The remains of 15-year-old girl along with a six-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy were found in an icy pit at a height of 6,700m (22,000ft) on Mount Llullaillaco, a volcano in north-west Argentina.
The other two children are being studied and not on display. Though the exhibition has angered several local groups who campaigned to stop the mummy from going on display, yet for many La Doncella mummy has become the center of attraction. Since, the mummy is displayed, the museum has witnessed large number of people queuing up to see the serene gaze etched on her face hundreds of years ago when she froze to death in the Andes.
Mummy of Inca maiden (la Doncella) Picture Gallery
Source: Spluch
Comments
What a shame on their ancestors. This is cruel stuff.