Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Peru’s “Juanita” mummy was first discovered by US anthropologist Johan Reinhard in 1995 at an altitude of over 6,000 meters on the Ampato volcano, and has long intrigued scientists.
The silicone-made bust of a teenage Inca girl known as “Juanita,” Peru’s most famous mummy, was recently unveiled in a ceremony at the Andean Sanctuaries Museum of the Catholic University of Santa Maria in Arequipa.
Officials were able to solve the mystery of Juanita’s face through a collaboration of Polish and Peruvian scientists alongside Swedish sculptor Oscar Nilsson, who dedicated about 400 hours to the painstaking task of producing the lifelike bust.
The reconstruction began with obtaining a replica of Juanita’s skull, followed by body scans, DNA studies, and an analysis of ethnological characteristics, age and complexion. Anthropological studies suggest Juanita was sacrificed between A.D. 1440 and 1450, when she was between the ages of 13 and 15.
Juanita was said to have stood at 1.40 meters, weighed 35 kilos, and was in good health. A CT scan indicated that her cause of death was a severe blow to the right occipital lobe.
Reinhard, who has unearthed more than 14 Inca human sacrifices high in the Andes, has discussed how these findings have illuminated aspects of Juanita’s life and the Inca culture. The reconstructed face brings her closer to life, offering a deeper understanding of her existence and the historical context in which she lived.
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