Pilgrimage to sacrifice: Mechanisms, causes, and time of death of the Western Andean Capacocha of the Southern Tawantinsuyu.

Abstract

Capacocha was a key Inca state rite that intertwined pilgrimage, sacrifice, and imperial incorporation across the Andes. We present a multianalytical investigation into two Capacocha cases from the western slope of the Andes: Cerro Esmeralda, located in the coastal Atacama Desert of northern Chile, and Cerro El Plomo, in the high mountains of central Chile. Stable isotope analysis reveals commensality practices during the pilgrimage, integrating local communities into the imperial order. Furthermore, computed tomography, dermatoscopy, and skin histology provide new evidence regarding the causes and mechanisms of death, identifying violent acts associated with sacrifice. Last, we present a pair of radiocarbon dates to discuss the chronology of both Capacocha contexts. In sum, these practices specify the materialization of Inca statecraft and contribute to characterizing the complexity and diversity of Capacocha ritual as an extension of the Inca biopolitical conquest.