Abstract
This study examines 500-year-old mummified individuals sacrificed by the Inca (Sara Sara, Ampato #1, #2, and #4) using non-invasive CT scans. Discovered in the 1990s by Johan Reinhard and José Antonio Chávez, these children were sacrificed during the most important Inca ritual: Capacocha. The aims of this presentation are to evaluate taphonomic processes, assess the state of preservation and paleopathological profiles, and understand the cultural significance of sacrifice. Despite the similar burial locations, CT scan data reveal that the bodies underwent different taphonomic processes. Evidence from Ampato #4 suggests the possibility of a rare secondary burial, showing signs that internal organs were replaced with textiles. Signs of blunt force trauma to the skulls of Ampato #1, Ampato #2, and Sara Sara suggest a ritualized concept of violence. Additionally, in the case of Ampato #2, pathological changes indicative of Chagas disease were detected.