Exploring Psychoactive Substances in Inca Rituals
Diverse studies and historical accounts have documented the use of psychoactive substances during capac cocha, a significant ritual within the Inca Empire. However, there remains limited knowledge regarding the specific compounds employed in this ceremony, which involved human sacrifices—primarily of children and young women—aimed at preserving cosmic order, honouring deities, or commemorating pivotal events, such as military victories.
A recent archaeological and toxicological study conducted by researchers from the University of Warsaw not only confirms that coca leaves were among the most commonly used elements during the preparations for this solemn act but also reveals that they were combined with various other substances. These combinations likely depended on the characteristics of each ceremony and the deities to whom the sacrifices were dedicated.
The aim of this research, published in the journal Antiquity, was to identify the plant substances administered to those selected for capac cocha, with the intention of uncovering consumption patterns that could provide new insights into how the ritual was conducted across different regions of the Inca Empire.
Analysing the Remains of Sacrificed Youths
The specialists analysed samples of nails and hair from eight mummified bodies of children and adolescents who were sacrificed, aged between six and fourteen years. These remains were discovered in the Ampato, Chuscha, Llullaillaco, Quehuar, and Sara Sara volcanoes, located in Peru and Argentina.
Specifically, the archaeologists examined six hair samples and two nail samples for ten compounds and metabolites, including cocaine, benzoylecgonine, cocaethylene, mescaline, atropine, scopolamine, harmine, harmaline, as well as various substances belonging to the tryptamine group. The analysis confirmed the presence of cocaine in all examined mummies. However, the most significant finding was the distinct combination of this stimulant with other compounds. For instance, in one mummy found in Chuscha and another in Llullaillaco, the researchers detected cocaethylene, a substance produced in the liver when alcohol and cocaine are processed simultaneously.
Regional Variations in Substance Use
Despite this similarity, the study suggests that the combined use of cocaine and alcohol exhibited differences across these Andean regions. In the case of the Chuscha remains, the researchers noted fluctuations in coca consumption during the six months leading up to the child’s sacrifice, with a substantial decrease in the final month. Conversely, cocaethylene was identified only during the final phase of the sacrificial ritual.
In contrast, the mummy from Llullaillaco exhibited a prolonged presence of cocaethylene, indicating a more extended period of alcohol consumption, which reinforces the notion that each ceremony may have required distinct preparations.
Another noteworthy discovery was the presence of harmine in the nails of an individual found in Ampato, Peru, popularly known as “the Juanita Mummy.” This substance is an alkaloid associated with species of the genus Banisteriopsis, one of the groups of plants used in the preparation of ayahuasca. However, the findings do not conclusively establish that the mummy, previously identified as “the Maiden of Ampato,” consumed ayahuasca prior to her death. The researchers suggest that harmine may have originated from other plants or been administered for medicinal purposes. Nonetheless, they propose that the ancient Incas in that region could have used a beverage or concoction containing this compound as part of a specific ceremonial protocol.
Understanding the Cultural Significance of the Inca Empire
Dagmara Socha, an archaeologist at the University of Warsaw and lead author of the study, commented, “While coca consumption seems to have been prevalent, we found considerable differences in the use of other substances. This suggests that the preparation of the children was much more complex and varied than we previously thought.”
The authors acknowledge that the analysis does not clearly establish the ceremonial or practical functions of the substances discovered. However, they suggest that coca, alcohol, and possibly harmine may have primarily been used to enhance the physical and emotional well-being of the children during their preparation for sacrifice.
Scientific literature documents that this pre-Columbian American civilisation utilised coca leaves as a medicinal remedy for altitude sickness, digestive issues, and to suppress hunger. Historical references frequently mention the use of chicha within the Inca Empire. Chronicles indicate that this fermented maize beverage, containing some alcohol, was offered to the deities, consumed during specific celebrations, and provided to children during capac cocha to dull their senses and soothe them in the ritual’s final stages.
Rituals Reflecting Diverse Cultural Practices
Socha further elaborated, “Children were viewed as sacred messengers who would continue to play an important role after death. Therefore, it is possible that their preparation aimed to help them cope with their journey and arrive at their final destination in the best possible condition.”
The researchers assert that, despite the limitations of their analysis, their findings offer new evidence of how psychoactive plant substances were integral to the religious, medicinal, and ceremonial aspects of Inca life. Furthermore, they demonstrate that capac cocha did not follow a uniform procedure, reflecting the cultural and religious diversity of this ancient civilisation.
“It was believed that the mountain deities had their own characteristics and influenced various aspects of people’s lives, particularly water, climate, and agricultural fertility. What we observe is that capac cocha was not a standardised ritual; rather, the Incas appeared to adapt it to various local cults and religious traditions,” Socha concluded.