Children of Llullaillaco, sacrificed by the Incas 500 years ago.

I thought this was interesting. Frozen in time.



Hundreds of people crowded into a museum in the north-western city of Salta to see "la Doncella", the Maiden.

The remains of the girl, who was 15 when she died, were found in an icy pit on top of a volcano in the Andes, along with a younger boy and girl.
Researchers believe they were sacrificed by the Incas 500 years ago.

The three were discovered at a height of 6,700m (22,000ft) on Mount Llullaillaco, a volcano in north-west Argentina on the border with Chile.

At the time, the archaeologist leading the team, Dr Johan Reinhard, said they appeared "the best preserved of any mummy I've seen".

It is believed the Children of Llullaillaco, as they have come to be known, were sacrificed during a ceremony thanking the Inca gods for the annual corn harvest.

>>>>>>>>>>>>snip

But the exhibition has angered several indigenous groups who campaigned to stop the mummy from going on display.

Miguel Suarez from the Calchaquies valley tribes in and around Salta told the Associated Press news agency that the exhibit was "a great mistake", adding that he hoped visitors would show respect for the dead.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6983300.stm

I just can't bear to think of this. I wonder how the children felt... whether they felt honored to be selected, at peace with what was thought to be the necessity of their sacrifice, or terrified. I hope that within the context of their times and society, and having been raised knowing that human sacrifices happened and weren't done with cruel intent, they weren't afraid... but that's pretty hard to imagine.

...but from what I've read the victims were often drugged to avoid "unseemly" behavior...so hopefully these beautiful children were past knowledge and caring.They haunt me, too....
EDIT:Spelling-it's late here on the right coast...