Archaeological excavation suggests Inka scattered coca leaves over sacrificed llamas during rituals.

What it means

At the Inka provincial center of Tambo Viejo in Peru's Acari valley, archaeologists found coca leaves preserved in the wool of three ritually sacrificed llamas. They interpret this as evidence that the Inka scattered coca leaves over the animals as part of sacrificial ceremonies, making it the first direct physical evidence of ritual coca use at this site.

Accuracy & sourcesGrounded

The claim is solid as reported: it is a reputable secondary account (Phys.org) of a peer-reviewed archaeological excavation study. The specific inference that the leaves were deliberately scattered is the excavators' interpretation based on where the leaves were found clinging to the llamas' wool, rather than a directly observed event.

How new