Sacrificed Girl Sleeps for Eternity
Sunday September 9, 2007
Once, she had a name. Now, hundreds of years after her death on a cold mountain in Argentina, she is known only as la Doncella, the Maiden. Her remains were unearthed high in the Andes in 1999, and researchers have learned quite a bit about this peaceful-looking girl. They know she was about fifteen when she died, and that the two children found with her were approximately seven or eight years old. They know that these three young ones, the Children of Llullaillaco, were sacrificed more than 500 years ago as part of an annual harvest festival. They know that the children were given corn alcohol to put them to sleep before they were left alone on the side of a volcano, 22,000 feet above sea level.
Who was this beautiful girl? Once, she had a mother and father and siblings and friends. She probably laughed and played and sang songs, perhaps she was even in love once in her short life. Now she sits alone in a climate-controlled chamber, still wearing the clothes and jewelry in which she died, in a museum in Salta. Instead of being seen by her gods alone, she is viewed daily by hundreds of tourists, who gasp at this vision in a gray shawl.
While researchers and officials tout the find as something wonderful -- and truly, la Doncella is remarkable -- not everyone is thrilled about the exhibit. A number of Indian groups around Salta argued that the remains should never have been placed on display. They say the mummies of these three children should be buried, or at the very least, kept away from public eyes. Several Indian groups waged a losing campaign to prevent the remains from going on display, arguing that the mummies should be buried or at least kept from public view. However, they lost their battle, and now la Doncella sits in a glass tomb so that all the world may see her. She looks peacefule and serene, and is unaware of the controversy she has caused by her own discovery.
What do you think? Should la Doncella and the other two children be buried as the local tribes wish, or should their remains be available for public viewing?
Who was this beautiful girl? Once, she had a mother and father and siblings and friends. She probably laughed and played and sang songs, perhaps she was even in love once in her short life. Now she sits alone in a climate-controlled chamber, still wearing the clothes and jewelry in which she died, in a museum in Salta. Instead of being seen by her gods alone, she is viewed daily by hundreds of tourists, who gasp at this vision in a gray shawl.
While researchers and officials tout the find as something wonderful -- and truly, la Doncella is remarkable -- not everyone is thrilled about the exhibit. A number of Indian groups around Salta argued that the remains should never have been placed on display. They say the mummies of these three children should be buried, or at the very least, kept away from public eyes. Several Indian groups waged a losing campaign to prevent the remains from going on display, arguing that the mummies should be buried or at least kept from public view. However, they lost their battle, and now la Doncella sits in a glass tomb so that all the world may see her. She looks peacefule and serene, and is unaware of the controversy she has caused by her own discovery.
What do you think? Should la Doncella and the other two children be buried as the local tribes wish, or should their remains be available for public viewing?
I think they should be taken out of the public eye.
Think these children should be buried and left in peace.
…would you want you loved ones displayed to the public after their death?…even if it was so long ago? So, at what point is it acceptable to lose repect for the dead, 100 years, 200, 1000 years after their death? Let them rest in peace, as they were.
Rather than displayed as an oddiitiy they should be put back in their resting place where they were found.
I understand that there is a natural human curiosity, but why not make a plaster cast or wax mold of the mummies, creating some facsimile which could be displayed to satisfy the public curiosity. Take some snapshots and do some x-rays or whatever you need to do… but return these children to their tribe so they may be buried in the tribe’s traditional ways so that their spirits can rest. That way, everyone is satisfied to some degree and the remains of these children would no longer be desecrated.
I say charge the public and donate 100% of the proceeds to poor, orphaned, and abused kids in the region.
that way La Doncella, a girl murdered by ignorant morons so many years ago can help future kids.
i would also move the rope back an extra 15 feet from the glass an ban photography.
You know, it’s not the first time I’ve heard someone refer to the people who sacrificed La Doncella as “ignorant” or “murderers”, but I’m not sure it’s really fair to hold people from 500 years ago to the same moral standards that we hold today. After all, some of us do still make sacrifices to our gods — while I don’t freeze local children to celebrate the harvest, I do make offerings. If one lived in a time and place where the gods demanded a human sacrifice, while we might find it barbaric today, I’m not sure we can really belittle the culture for doing what they felt was necessary.
In some traditions, animal sacrifice is still practiced today, and while I personally find that a little icky, I wouldn’t presume to tell someone that their god’s demands are less worthy than mine.
Just my nickel’s worth
patti
They should be put to rest – ie, buried. Its only right that they get a ‘proper’ send off.
Studie them, but leave them where they were found. These chidlren were given to their Gods, and as had as that is to accept in this day and age, it was the way then. We need to respect them and the culture they came from.
The children moved on to summerland a very long time ago. Theirearthly remains are now being viewed by all and many thing it is terrible. The children do not care. Everything happens for a reason. People may learn, as we have from this.Rather than being horrified by something that occured so long ago, use this as a reference to see that itnever happens again, say a blessing for the chldren and then if you truly want to be horrified and outraged, take a long hard look at the treatment of people in our world today. Their are more children being massacared by their own families and people then ever before. And what do they die for? So that some faceless coward can feekl powerful. Grieve not for the children who died so long ago, they are way beyond our tears.Grieve instead for those who die eeryday, forgotten and neglected by a wold gone crazy.
These children have suffered enough, no matter how long ago they died. They should let them rest in peace, with dignity.
let these babies be put to rest
I’m from Argentina. It is very difficult to have different beliefs and lifestyles in my country. This thing that is happening with la doncella is the very smallest kind of disrespect the government and other people in power have for other cultures. Indigenous sacred place have been sold to foreign investors so that people in places of power can keep the money. There are hundreds of children that are dying at present in my country and it is not as a sarifice to a god… Let me tell you, that is much worse and much more barbaric. Much more barbaric since they are the sacrifice done by the corrupt political system we have in Argentina.
I agree with number 10 polgara. I always wanted to be an archeologist. This is how we learn things about our past and the people that lived in it. The remains that are on display are just that remains. These childrens souls have long past moved onto another life.
I also agree with #10. As sad as it may seem to some to display a mummy like this, it’s how we learn, and make people aware of cultures that existed before us. In this way, we preserve our history and learn from it.
On another note, if respect for the dead is the controversy, why not also argue against having Egyptian mummies on display? I never hear anyone arguing about that.
I think Matt has a good idea, raising funds for the poor. She would still be serving her people. Truly, she’s beyond caring, so it doesn’t hurt her. This is how we learn.
#15: In other countries, Germany for example, they do not put the mummies on display, out of respect for the dead, although they do keep the mummies for study.
#9: I don’t have to show respect for any culture that kills its children, whether in sacrifice to gods or in war.
#13: I agree. The souls of these children have moved on; we could show respect by removing their physical remains from public view, although I don’t think it matters at this point. What matters are the children alive now.
What should be included in the public information is the fact that these children were drugged, often bound, sometimes abused, before they were left to die on mountains. These children were victims, just as much as the children who are abused and killed today. I’m afraid that viewing a mummy distances us from the harsh reality that was this child’s life and death.
Leave them where they were. I’d LOVE to see the outcry if Mary Magdalenes remains were dug up and studied. Why is it so hard for people of all faiths to give honor and respects to others beliefs? What is the “statute of limitations” on rest in peace?
Their bodies should be laid to rest – it is their time for peace. Their story should never be forgotten; a monument should be placed with their story where they were found.
I think they have the rights as everyone else to be buried. perhaps they can make a mock simulation of them so that people may still know the story.
I think they should be buried to rest in peace.
They should be buried!Cause even though the spirits have probably crossed over,they are showing much disrespect,by putting the bodies in a museum for everyone to see!
They should be put back where they came from. I don’t approve of any remains being displayed in museums, they were buried and treated specially for a reason. I’m pretty convinced that the Egyptians of 2000 years ago would be HORRIFIED that the mummies they so carefully treated and entombed were taken out of their resting places and put on public display. I’m sure the ancient Argentinians would have felt the same.
I live in Northern Ireland, I have watched men, women and children die for no other reason than for paramilitary organisations to make money and gain political power. Nothing honourable about that, these children where given the highest honour their people could give them. (in their minds)
Perhaps these children where honoured and prepared to die for their Gods. I want to think that because the alternative is horrifying!
Donating the funds is a great idea matt (no6). ALthough I understand the desire to learn form them and their ancient culture, I do feel as though they should be removed from public view as their sacrifice seems somehow lessened by the idea of tourists filing past them.
I have already raised a blessing for the children and pray to my Gods they have peace wherever they rest.
With the exception of the Egyptians, it always seems to be the Native American’s remains that end up being objectified and displayed as though they were tools or weapons. As it has been said, imagine the outcry if midevil European human bodies were regularly dug up and displayed as curious specimines. Do we have a bit of racism here?
I think they should never have been moved they were part of a relgious rite how would we feel if they unburied your aunt or mother to learn (Ha) from their corpses! We got away with doing it to the indians in North America now we are starting on South America For Shame!
I believe they should have a proper burial, and their remains be respected. Haven’t they already gone through enough..and then put on display.
These people have passed on. I very much doubt whether they care, one way or another, about what is left of their physical remains.
I believe that the dead from long past should be respected the same as we would want our dead respected. I go along with the person that sujusted a wax copy or something of that type but let the dead rest in peace. Also we can not judge the people of the past by our standards of today. We should not judge anyone but ourselves anyway.
But please let the dead rest in peace.
I believe that she be at peace with the outher childern NOT for show and tell.Put her back here she was found, She was put their for a reason with the outher childern.
Take her out of public view immediately. Disgraceful human behaviour.
i think that they should be given right back to the people of their faith, this is not a political thing or a social thing… this is a belief issue.
Yes we learn from the past, but they learned, now they need to give back what they tampered with, period.
she should be put to rest and not put on display to the public. She was once a living person and should be taken out of public view!!!!