In March 1999, archaeologists climbing one of the highest volcanoes in the Andes discovered something never seen before.
Near the 6,739-metre summit of Mount Llullaillaco, on the border of Argentina and Chile, they uncovered the remarkably preserved body of a teenage Inca girl who had remained frozen for more than 500 years.
Nicknamed "La Doncella" (The Maiden), she appeared so well preserved that her hair, skin, facial features and even the contents of her stomach were largely intact.
Scientists believe she was one of three children selected for an important Inca ritual known as capacocha, offering an unprecedented glimpse into the religious beliefs, daily life and final days of one of South America's greatest civilisations.Who was the Inca girl discovered frozen on Mount LlullaillacoLa Doncella is believed to have been around 13 to 15 years old when she died during the late 15th or early 16th century, at the height of the Inca Empire.
Her body was discovered alongside two younger children, a young girl, later nicknamed the Lightning Girl, and a boy, buried in separate ceremonial chambers near the volcano's summit.The extraordinary preservation resulted from the extreme conditions on Mount Llullaillaco.
