Mummy Juanita

In September 1995, anthropologist Johan Reinhard and his Peruvian climbing partner Miguel Zárate were ascending Volcán Ampato (6,288m) when they noticed that an eruption of the nearby Sabancaya volcano had melted the glacial ice on Ampato's summit. Among the debris sliding down the mountain's flanks was a bundle. When they examined it, they found a girl.

Who Juanita Is

An Inca girl, estimated age 12–14 at death, sacrificed approximately 1450–1480 CE on Volcán Ampato as a capacocha offering to the Inca gods. Her preservation is extraordinary — the sudden freezing by Ampato's glacial cold preserved not just her bones but her internal organs, skin, hair, fingernails, and clothing. She is one of the best-preserved human remains ever found anywhere in the world.

The Discovery

Reinhard and Zárate carried her down the mountain and took her to Catholic University of Santa María in Arequipa. The National Geographic Society funded the research. Juanita made the cover of Time magazine in 1995. She was later exhibited at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC before returning permanently to Arequipa.

What Capacocha Was

The Inca practice of sacrificing exceptional children (only the most beautiful and healthy were chosen) at high mountain peaks as offerings to Inti (sun god) and Pachamama (earth goddess). Being selected was considered a divine honor for the child and their family. Juanita was given the finest clothing, precious offerings, and was accompanied to the summit by priests. She likely died from a blow to the head — quickly, with minimal suffering, as the rite required.

What's on Display at the Museum

The museum is small and serious — not a large institution but densely curated. Juanita herself is kept at -20°C in a specially designed display case that maintains the preservation conditions. She appears so preserved that visitors often expect her to move. The case is sealed; you view her through glass. Surrounding exhibitions show her clothing (a finely woven lliclla textile in reds and blues, intact after 550 years), the objects buried with her (golden llama figurines, pottery vessels, dried foods, coca leaves), and contextual material about Inca mountain worship.

Photography

Not permitted of Juanita. The surrounding exhibitions are photographable. The restriction is a preservation measure.

The Guided Tour

Strongly recommended. The English-language guide explains the capacocha ritual, the discovery story, the preservation science, and the cultural significance in a way that transforms what you're seeing from a curiosity into something genuinely moving. Book 24h ahead (call or arrive the previous day). ~1.5h with guide.

Practical

Small museum, crowds can be high — book a morning time slot.