Introduction

Unlike the other innovations of ancient Inca, mummification didn't solve a problem or "make life easier" in some way, instead it was a key part of the Inca religion. In Incan culture those who had passes on were not seen as dead. Important people who had died still played a crucial role in their community . Priests would remove them from their tomb and interpret their messages for important events or vote for the community. So if these people were so important their bodies had to be preserved somehow. That is where the mummies come into the story!

"Inti was the god of the sun and the main god in the inca religion."

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The Inca Religion

The Incas had a polytheistic religion which mean that they believed in a multitude of different gods. However, the main two gods that the Incas worshiped frequently were Viracocha, the creator god, and Inti, the god of the sun. Unlike other religions of the time, the Incas worshiped the sun as the main celestial being instead of the moon. Therefore, Inti was a very powerful god.

Development of Mummification

The Incas were not the first people in that area to practice mummification. Actually, they took the idea from the Chinchorro. The climate around that area already preserved the bodies but they learned to extend this process. Initially they only mummified children who had died prematurely but eventually they extended it to all deceased.

"The original mummies had clay masks and were wrapped in straw."

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Impact

Similar to many other ancient civilizations, religion was the center of every person's life. From marriage to daily life! Mummification, specifically, was used so that important members of the community could still participate even after death! Priests would interpret the mummy's words and give them food.

"Priests would give regular offerings to the gods. "

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"This girl was a sacrifice preserved by the cold weather of the alps. Scientist have learned much about her just from her hair alone."

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How we learn from it today

Scientists have learned a lot from Incan mummies about how they lived. This is useful for the context of major events. They need this information to learn things like the Incas' way of life and daily activities. Scientists can analyze the mummy's hair and use a CAT scan or similar machine to learn things like their diet and amount of activity. They can also also analyze their clothes to see what materials they had access to and how they were used.

Top Three uses of Mummification

Ancestor Worship

"The Incas believed in many gods but they also believed that important figures lived on after death. On important occasions, priest woulds interpret what the mummies said and give them offerings"

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