Inca Children Drugged with Coca and Hallucinogens Before Sacrifice
A toxicology study of eight mummified Inca children sacrificed 500 years ago reveals they were given coca, alcohol, and the ayahuasca compound harmine as part of ritual preparation for death.
Toxicological analysis of eight mummified Inca children shows widespread cocaine and alcohol consumption prior to death. Hair and nail samples from the young victims, dating to around 500 years ago, preserve chemical traces of substances consumed in the weeks or months before their deaths as part of the capacocha ritual. The children were selected for exceptional beauty and physical purity from across the Inca Empire and transported to Cusco for ceremonies before being sent to sacred sites.
Traces of cocaine were detected in all eight samples, indicating coca leaf consumption prior to death. Cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine were found in all six hair samples analyzed. Researchers suggest this use was likely intended to suppress hunger and fatigue during the arduous mountain journey to high-altitude burial sites. Cocaethylene was found in some samples, indicating the concurrent consumption of cocaine and alcohol, likely from chicha, a fermented maize beer used in ceremonies.
The hair of an eight-year-old girl from Mount Chuscha shows a particularly detailed history. It records fluctuating coca intake over six months, with a notable drop in the final month and possible alcohol consumption just before death.
Harmine detection in ritual context
Harmine, a psychoactive compound from Banisteriopsis caapi used in the preparation of ayahuasca, was detected in nail samples. It was specifically identified in the nails of the 14-year-old known as the Ampato Maiden or Juanita. Researchers suggest harmine's antidepressant properties may have been used to calm the children and maintain a positive mood during the frightening ritual proceedings.
Ritual preparation and regional variation
Each of the eight sacrificed children showed a unique chemical signature in their hair and nails. This indicates different preparation methods were used, likely tailored for specific deities or adapted to local traditions and regional religious practices. The children were sacrificed as part of the capacocha ritual, with their bodies preserved on frozen Andean mountaintops in Argentina and Peru. They were buried with fine textiles, pottery, and precious figurines at these high-altitude sacred sites. The findings demonstrate regional diversity in capacocha practices across the Inca Empire.
The capacocha ritual involved sacrificing children and young women as an act of veneration. It was performed to mark significant events like a ruler's death or a major festival, or to appease gods during natural disasters such as famine, drought, or pestilence.
Scientific validation of historical practices
A research team led by University of Warsaw archaeologist Dagmara Socha conducted the toxicological screening. The study confirms Inca children were drugged before capacocha sacrifice and was published in the journal Antiquity with the DOI 10.15184/aqy.2026.10439. The analysis detected markers of alcohol and coca leaf chewing in half of the individuals. No traces of other hallucinogens like mescaline, DMT, or bufotenine were found in the analyzed samples.
Dagmara Socha noted that the experience was likely frightening or traumatic for the children despite the ritual's prestige. The study's publication provides the primary source for further research into these complex ceremonial preparations.
