Frozen mummies and the archaeology of high mountains in the construction of andean identity

Abstract

The importance of the mummies to the definition of Andean identity could remain unperceived, or could remain difficult to understand, as it comes from foreign cultural contexts or belief systems. Familiarity with the dead is a characteristic socio-cultural trait in various parts of Latin America going back to pre-Hispanic times and still extant today. In this context we must remember the active social and political role the mummies of the emperors played in Inca times by being periodically processed through the main plaza of Cusco and by being maintained in palaces, enjoying the same attention that they received when they were alive. Modern examples include the spontaneous veneration that the naturally mummified bodies of certain infants receive today in the sierras of La Rioja, in western Argentina. In this chapter we ponder the importance of high altitude archaeology in the long term conservations of mountaintop findings and the role of the Inca frozen mummies in the construction and strengthening of an Andean identity. In spite of their indisputable scientific and patrimonial importance, the future of the Inca high altitude sanctuaries and frozen mummies remains, in the majority of cases, uncertain, since diverse factors threaten their preservation, including global warming and looting. The Inca mummies from the ice fill a distinguished role in the construction of Andean identity and in the processes of re-ethnicization that are currently taking place in Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. The international repercussions of the discovery of the mummies from mount Llullaillaco helped to lend visibility to the needs of the indigenous communities in northern Argentina, motivating governmental authorities to recognize their rights, and inspiring society in general to become interested in their welfare. Consequently, in recent years, numerous communities have coalesced and formed in the context of a strong and sustained native revival movement. In multi-cultural societies like that of Salta, whose social identity was traditionally anchored in the Hispanic arrival and the gaucho culture, the Andean cultural heritage has become substantially more highly valued. Since the discovery of the mummies of Llullaillaco, importance has begun to be placed on the study of the Inca civilization both in Salta and in other parts of Argentina, as part of the basic content of the school curriculum. There has also been a noticeable and exponential increment in the number of university students studying anthropology or archaeology. There has also been an increase in interest, on the part of the general public, in studying the Quechua language and pre-Columbian cultures. Likewise, there has been a notable augmentation in tourism in the region. This increases the possibility that young people born in rural areas can remain in their communities, instead of being forced to migrate to large cities in search of work.