For years, everyone thought the young child found atop Cerro El Plomo had simply succumbed to the icy cold, drifting off into an eternal sleep. This child, who lived 560 years ago, was discovered in a naturally freeze-dried state and has since become one of Chile's most precious anthropological finds, from the important Inca Empire. A new ‘dermatological’ study, the first of its kind, has revealed, in fact, that the child likely died from head trauma as part of a ritual sacrifice, upending our understanding of the Capacocha ceremony. Not So Peaceful: A Blunt Force Sacrifice The child, approximately eight years old, was found in a peaceful position: arms wrapped around his knees, head resting gently on his right shoulder and arm, as if he had fallen asleep just that way. For decades, researchers believed that he was put to sleep by consuming corn chicha, an alcoholic drink, or perhaps some other intoxicating substance before being placed in his icy grave. However, the new study published in the journal JAAD Case Reports, has flipped this conclusion upside down. Read moreSection: NewsHistory & ArchaeologyHistoryAncient TraditionsRead Later