Coca leaves discovered inside sacrificed llama wool at Peruvian Inca site

Archaeologists have discovered preserved coca leaves embedded in the fur of sacrificed llamas at the archaeological site of Tambo Viejo in southern Peru. Archaeology Magazine reported that the remains were uncovered at a fortified settlement located in the Acarí Valley. The site was built by the Inca after they annexed the territory into their expanding empire in the early fifteenth century. [1]

Lidio Valdez of the University of Calgary told Archaeology Magazine that coca held profound religious significance for the Inca society. Valdez stated that historical written records from Spanish chroniclers indicate the plant was utilized in nearly every ritual activity. Although researchers had previously unearthed coca seeds and leaves within ancient storage structures across Peruvian archaeological sites, finding them directly inside sacrificial animal wool provides new evidence of specific ceremonial protocols. [1]

Tambo Viejo covers approximately 44 hectares in the northern portion of the Arequipa region. The complex contains evidence of continuous human occupation spanning multiple eras, including Early Nasca pottery from the Early Intermediate period, large architectural structures built during the Inca era, and material remains dating to the Spanish colonial period. Llamas are domesticated South American camelids that Andean cultures have relied upon as pack animals and sources of meat since pre-Columbian times. [3][4]

The coca plant is native to western South America and belongs to the family Erythroxylaceae. Its leaves contain the alkaloid cocaine, which produces a mild stimulant effect when chewed or brewed into tea. Traditional consumption of raw leaves results in a slower absorption rate than refined substances, and historical usage shows no evidence of causing chemical addiction or physical withdrawal symptoms. [2]