The Inca also believed that the mummies had the power to communicate with the living and provide guidance and protection. In some cases, the mummies were removed from their tombs during important ceremonies and paraded through the streets to celebrate the individual's life and achievements. The mummies were often placed in tombs or special chambers where they were seen as sacred objects. Inca’s rare sacrifice victims often fell into this last category. The process was usually reserved for members of the Inca elite, like leaders, priests, or those who had made significant contributions to Inca society. Once the body was dried, it was collected and wrapped in textiles and adorned with personal belongings like jewelry. Nazca mummy at the cemetery of Chauchilla near Nazca, Peru. The deceased would be carried up into the mountains and then placed in a seated position where the body would be exposed to the cold, dry mountain air and then the sun, which dried it out. The Inca believed that mummification allowed the dead to travel to the afterlife and still maintain a connection to their community. The Inca preferred a more natural mummification method, using natural preservation rather than artificial methods. The Inca process of mummification wasn’t quite as “hands-on” as the Egyptian method.
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