A new study published in the journal Antiquity has revealed the chemical substances administered to Incan children during the capacocha sacrifice ritual. Researchers analyzed eight mummified remains to find evidence of cocaine, alcohol, and ayahuasca use.

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The grueling ascent to 6,000-meter mountain shrines

The capacocha ritual involved the sacrifice of children chosen for their beauty and purity from across the Incan Empire. According to the report, these children were brought to the religious center of Cuzco before traveling to remote mountaintop shrines. some of these sacred sites were located at altitudes exceeding 19,685 feet, making the journey physically taxing.

The bodies were eventually mummified and served as conduits between the liivng and the gods, often becoming centers for religious cults led by the children's own families.. This ritualized death was not mreely a sudden event but a highly structured process that integrated the victims into the spiritual fabric of the empire.

Cocaine, Chicha, and the harmine in Lady of Ampato

Toxicological testing of hair and fingernails has identified a variety of psychoactive substances used during these ceremonies. All eight mummies tested contained traces of cocaine, which likely helped the children manage altitude sickness and fatige. As reported in the study , the substances used included:

  • Cocaine: Likely used to mitigate the physical toll of high-altitude travel .
  • Chicha: A maize beer used to sedate and calm the children.
  • Ayahuasca: Identified via the presence of harmine, particularly in the famous "Lady of Ampato" (also known as Juanita).

    • The presence of these substances suggests a highly organized and intentional approach to the ritual, using botany to facilitate the transition from the living world to the divine.

    Tracking a six-month timeline through keratin

    Dr. Dagmara Socha and her team from the University of Warsaw used the preservation of keratin to reconstruct the victims' final months. Because hair and nails trap chemical traces, the researchers could examine sections representing roughly one month of life. This method allowed them to observe how drug consumption changed, including one instance where a mummy showed a massive spike in cocaine use during its final month.

    The exceptionally dry and cold mountain air played a vital role in this discovery, as it preserved the organic materials in a state that allowed modern forensic techniques to be applied to ancient history. This level of biological detail was previously impossible to achieve with Incan remains.

    Why did drug cocktails differ between sacred shrines?

    While the study confirms that different ritual sites used different combinations of drugs, the specific reasons for these variations remain unverified.. It is not yet known if the choice of cocaine, alcohol, or ayahuasca was dictated by the specific mountain's geography or by different regional religious traditions. Additionally, the source does not clarify whether the administration of these substances was performed by the children's families or by state officials.