#3-D bust

[thepastisalreadywritten]

By Erin Blakemore

October 25, 2023

More than 500 years ago, a 14-year-old girl was escorted up an Andean peak and sacrificed to Inca gods.

Buried on the mountain with a variety of offerings, the young woman’s body naturally mummified over time, preserving her hair, her fingernails, the colorful robes she wore on her last day.

But at some point across the centuries, her face became exposed to the elements, her features slowly vanishing over seasons of sunlight and snowfall.

Now, that long-lost face has been recovered thanks to painstaking archaeological analysis and forensic reconstruction.

A striking 3-D bust of the young woman, known today as the Ice Maiden of Ampato, is the centerpiece of a new exhibit in Peru and part of an ongoing effort to understand the drama of human sacrifice practiced in the Andes half a millennium ago.

A sacrificial offering

When National Geographic Explorer Johan Reinhard encountered the mummy, also known as Juanita, atop 21,000-foot Mount Ampato during a 1995 expedition, he knew he had discovered something spectacular.

“At first it looked like one big bundle of textiles,” Reinhard recalls. Then he saw the wizened face amid the folds of fabric.

Here was a young victim of the elusive Inca ritual known as capacocha.

Capacocha mostly involved the sacrifice of children and animals who were offered to the gods in response to natural disasters — to consolidate state power in far-flung provinces of the Inca Empire, or simply to please the deities.

The ritual played an important part in sustaining the Inca Empire. It would involve feasts and grand processions to accompany the children, who appear to have been chosen for their beauty and physical perfection.

Being selected for sacrifice, researchers believe, would have considered a deep honor by the child’s family and community.

Most of the information we have on capacocha, however, is second hand, notes Dagmara Socha, an archaeologist with the Center for Andean Studies at the University of Warsaw who studies the ritual and commissioned the facial reconstruction of the Ice Maiden of Ampato.

“No European colonist ever saw the ceremony,” she explains.

Despite gaps in the historical record, the high-altitude archaeological finds of more than a dozen Inca children on Ampato and other mountains point provide critical evidence for what happened during these rituals.

The means of sacrifice varied, perhaps due to customs related to specific gods. Some children were buried alive or strangled; others had their hearts removed.

The Ice Maiden’s life ended with a single blunt-force blow to the back of the skull.

In search of the Ice Maiden

Oscar Nilsson knows that skull intimately: He spent months with a replica of it in his Stockholm studio, eventually fashioning a sculpture of the 14-old-girl that, glimpsed from afar, almost seems alive.

It’s a two-step process, says the Swedish archaeologist and sculptor.

First, Nilsson immerses himself in the world of his subject with an archaeologist’s eye for detail, digesting as much data as possible to understand what she might have looked like.

Even without a mummified face, he can extrapolate the likely depth of the facial tissue that once draped over those bones, using everything from CT scans to DNA analyses to information about diet and disease to make educated guesses about the individual’s face.

Then came the handiwork. Nilsson printed a 3-D replica of the Ice Maiden’s skull, plugging wooden pegs into its surface to guide the depth and placement of each hand-crafted, plasticine clay muscle.

Eerie eyes, masseter muscles, a nose, the delicate rope-like tissues that constitute a human face: each was added in turn.

After making a silicone mold of the bust, he added hundreds of individual hairs and pores in shades of brown and pink.

It took ten weeks.

Following the Inca Gods

The result, wrapped in robes woven by local women from Peru's Centro de Textiles Tradicionales, is the main attraction at “Capacocha: Following the Inca Gods” at the Museo Santuarios Andinos in Arequipa, Peru through November 18.

The reconstruction will be displayed alongside the Ice Maiden’s mummy, accompanied by the stories of 15 other children selected for capacocha atop Ampato and other Andean peaks.

Their ages range from 3 to about 13. The mummies and skeletal remains of several are featured as 3-D models at the exhibition, which also showcases holographs of some of the sacred items buried alongside them.

These natural mummies offer scientists tantalizing clues about their last days.

When Socha and colleagues conducted toxicological and forensic analyses of the remains of a toddler and four six-to-seven-year-old victims featured in the exhibition, they found they were well cared for in the months before their sacrifice.

They were fed a steady diet of coca leaves, ayahuasca vine, and alcohol in the weeks before their deaths — not as much to intoxicate them as to keep them sedated and anxiety-free as the timeline hurtled toward their sacrifice.

“We were really surprised by the toxicology results,” says Socha.

“It wasn’t only a brutal sacrifice. The Inca also wanted the children to be in a good mood. It was important to them that they go happily to the gods.”

High altitude, psychogenic substances, the spectacular view, the knowledge the afterlife was near — all must have made for an astonishing ceremony, says Reinhard.

“The whole phenomenon must have been overpowering.”

During the last phase of his reconstruction, Nilsson spent hours contemplating and attempting to capture the young girl’s presence 500 years after her death.

The result is both unsettlingly realistic and jarringly personal.

“She was an individual,” the forensic reconstructionist says.

“She must have understood her life would end on the mountaintop in a couple of weeks. We can only hope that she believed in the afterworld herself.”

For Reinhard, finally seeing the face of the girl he carried down the mountain on his back decades ago brought the Ice Maiden’s story full circle.

“It brings her back to life,” he says. The reconstruction brings the focus as much to her culture and daily life as to her spectacular death.

But Nilsson never forgot the way the Ice Maiden died, even as he brought her to life through his reconstruction.

More than anything, he says, he wanted to capture a sense of being frozen — a nod not just to her icy, mummified future but to a girl teetering on the edge of eternity, though still very much alive.

“She knew she was supposed to smile, to express pride,” he says. “Proud to be chosen. But still very, very afraid.”

[raepliica]

serving merylwood again...🍽

[bomkii]

you will always be enough for me.

[funshinebf]

they arent bald anymore btw

[gromky]

want to be a person who draws every day so 🕯️

[sysig]

Maybe something with Mousey being jealous of Hunter and Smoker for one reason or another? hehe

Day 7 - There might be a reason for that

Bonus:

[vgtrackbracket]

Video Game Track Bracket Round 3

C-R-O-W-N-E-D (Reprise) from Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe

vs.

A Million Gruesome Ways to Die from Billie Bust Up

Propaganda under the cut. If you want your propaganda reblogged and added to future polls, please tag it as propaganda or otherwise indicate this!

C-R-O-W-N-E-D (Reprise):

MAGOLOR AND DEDEDE!!!!!!!

A Million Gruesome Ways To Die:

"What about ten thousand volts of ELECTRICITY??????? Or try a death by Shakespeare in a TRAGICOMEDY!!!!!!! " that line is just UGH 🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌

And spooky and catchy song about the various ways that you could die in order to join a big ghost party.

[termagax]

re: "good girl" i think they say it once randomly as a joke and its just one of those things that gets him wayyy more than they expected it would. so now its their secret weapon and they use it very sparingly and every single time he gets super embarrassed about it but it works ill tell you what.

[will0thew1sp-art]

Thimkimg about THEM,,,,,

@billiebustupofficial hope u dont mind me showing this to u ok thank you bye

[keeps-ache]

think this is funny. anyway. the Thoughts are back at it again

[bmpmp3]

dysgraphic artiƨts risɘ UP!!!!!

[small-spark-of-light]

i wanted to finish the alignment chart so heres more

[vexedmilky]

Guh I wanna talk about my danganronpa V3 AU so much holy shit like I didn't stay up until 1:00am thinking of how my chapter three is gonna go down just to not talk about it 😭

[clowndensation]

the world's saddest blond boy just got his "golden retriever bf" license revoked on account of all the atrocities. yeah he's averaging about one ever fifteen minutes.

[player-1]

Once again back on my bs throwing out another insane but possibly valid Nexomon theory until Nexomon 3 finally gets a proper release date...

Going through the Abyssal DLC again, mostly finding hints on what they foreshadow for 3 (And it's quite a few things, a bit about sorcerers/witches already getting wiped off the map and a possible time-skip prediction of 100,000 years.), but the one thing that caught my eye was after the MC defeated Volcel [N:E Abyssal DLC part 4]. Long story short, it's heavily implied that the Abyssals were engineered like the Greater Drakes and/or Vados, but not in such an unnatural way that Deena couldn't have sensed it. In her own words, "Unlike the dragons and Vados, these Abyssal Tyrants couldn't have been forged by human hands."

Which leads me to the obvious conclusion (and indirectly the mad scientist Logan's): GENETIC ENGINEERING!!

And I'm obviously jumping on the idea that Metta made them (for obvious reasons) since resurrection would've opened up a similar scheme; besides, he's the only one of the fam with these skills so he had all that free time to do something else here. While following the assumption that the main element Abyssals (Fire, Water, Wind, Nature, Earth, Lightning) were modeled after the main Omnicron Fam, the Abyssals also share some physical characteristics with some Nexomon of N1 & N:E as well besides the nixed bag that is Venefelis, but I'll just go in order from appearance in the DLC then explain/ramble from there.

Major-ish spoilers for Nexomon 1 (& Netherworld dlc/arc) and Nexomon: Extinction w. the Abyssal dlc below:

1. Venefelis (Masquiti(?) + Kitsunox, Carnagrius, Fanfrou, Fuzztino, Felicient)

Like I said, Venefelis is such a mixed bag since she came out the gate just after Omnicron's bucket got kicked for good and the N1 protag thought any major world-ending threat was over and done for...Well that was a fucking lie and we all know it. While I feel that Venefelis got that hot-headed attitude (and obvious golden child syndrome) from the other cat-based 'mon, it's easy to see the similarities w. the Masquiti line even when they didn't appear until 1,000 yrs later in N:E (and the off-putting entry about Masquiti fits way too perfectly w. her "ghost" form Salem), but I digress. Whether or not Venefelis could be considered the first Psychic type after N1 (or the first uber-powerful Masquiti known to man), or maybe Metta made a replacement Omnicron on the side if his main plan failed (before he threw her out only to kill Hilda in revenge), that's already up for debate for me. [Also somewhat implying that Venefelis is a mutation of Kitsunox since the cape seems similar and she actively boasts about being the “perfect servant” in killing Hilda for a master she never knew nor witnessed (N:E Kitsunox are unwaveringly loyal too) but that’s my opinion here]…

2. Pluvean (Arqua + Harectic, Hydrose, Reeferus, Torrex)

Even if Arqua/Merida was always shown to be hotheaded and quick to throw a temper (even at the expense of a destroyed ship or two), Pluvean was only mean to be a sacrifice to either confuse the Guild on the Abyssals' purpose or direct their attention away from the real threats...Either way, he's pretty lax on what the Guild wants to learn from him (ie. the bare minimum) and is more concerned over why Venefelis revived him if he already completed his task with flying colors. While this might also relate to the calming nature of water as opposed to Arqua's unpredictable rage, it's an interesting starting point for the Guild (and MC) to figure out that the Abyssals are far from their usual brand of Tyrant. And I guess Metta wanted to see a cooler side to Arqua/Merida when she's not flaunting around with other humans, who knows?

3. Rotramus (Nara + Outgrov, Raksuma, Prisimazor)

While I'm not going to theorize if or how Metta got Nara's DNA to create Rotramus (which that would next to impossible without revealing himself), but it's pretty telling since the only things he has to do is 1. Hide from the Guild, 2. Nap out of sight of said-Guild, 3. Answer or follow any tamer's command without question or self-preservation if they find him (and 4. Deny and insult said-tamer's command without question if they attempt to turn him against the Abyssals); you know, it just like Nara's main deal of betraying Omnicron, joining the humans to destroy her dad and siblings, and wanting to live freely and independently as Deena. Even if Rotramus is perfectly harmless apart from not betraying the Abyssals at the drop of a hat, it's interesting to see how much of an iron grip Metta also has on the Abyssals despite none of them ever knowing their master by appearance or name.

4. Inominox (Ventra + Heliventus, Eqoloptera, Lurkennie, Voltosfrere, Swactrum)

Just like the vulture Inominox is based on, he fights only against tamers he considers weak and easy-pickings and has survived because of that for generations...Yet he heartily declares the MC weak and worthless despite after defeating two Abyssals at that point (Pluvean and Rotramus) despite clearly being the King/Queen of Monsters, then getting completely bodied in the process (mostly after using one Nexomon with a type disadvantage). Makes sense though since Ventra was always shown to be incredibly egotistical and overestimated her enemies in N1, so Inominox might've been so blinded by his cunning and "weakness radar" that he's the only Abyssal besides Helevolk and/or Braccus that don't immediately recognize the MC as Nexomon King.

5. Helovolk (Fona + Carnagrius (N:E), Oregoon, Treclay, Moltano, Shardrillion)

Sucks that I can't find an proper Nexomon to connect to why Helovolk is blind and as irrational as a ordinary monster, but it might relate to the theme of fire being a blind and destructive force if left unattended...Or Helovolk just got the worst part of Fona since he was just a bad-boy dude who always played by his own rules. Also putting in the revived N:E version of Carnegrius since they became increasingly violent after loosing their natural habitat, and Helovolk constantly digs a mindless series of tunnels to stay hidden and elusive...Maybe N3 will expand more on his personality/motives, but that's all I got for him here. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

6+7. Caelesa & Byeol (Metta + Raamu, Mistrallion, Starckal, Paupo(?))

I know I know, why add Byeol in the mix, aren't they supposed to be a regular ol' Tyrant? I mean, have you even seen these two side-by-side!? They might as well be half-siblings here! And if anything goes to show, if Metta dabbled with gene splicing with his own DNA, not everything was going to be all sugar, spice, and everything nice here (and probably experiencing ego-death with the "abomination" that is Byeol)...Maybe throwing in a bit of Paupo in the mix so the family resemblance isn't too obvious, who knows. Besides, they're both Normal type, they both have ring-like objects on them, and they both have a tendency to constantly evade the Guild's Tyrant witch-hunt without a care in the world...Possibly w. Byeol, but their lack of a noteworthy dex entry says as much (And on that note, it was only today ago that I realized that Byeol’s Nexomite/energy crystals are on the cheeks or might be the little stars floating around them…So I’m technically right and they have permanent dimples! 🥰). While Caelesa obviously has Metta's crassness around humans (only calling them idiots and getting huffy about the Guild labeling for a Tyrant for only running around as ordered), I headcanon that Byeol only avoids getting caught as a "game" and enjoys people-watching or nagging for attention so much that it easily weirds out the Guild. But I'm pretty sure Metta would've had a grand old time getting a 2-in-1 Tyrant deal while (possibly) pretending his mini-me cherub doesn't exist at all.

8. Braccus (Grunda + Broshield, Grath, Bitztrong, Rustung)

My boy Braccus is chonk supreme here, already topping off against all the Abyssals in pure strength and size alone (and makes it even funnier when his dialogue sprite takes up 1/3 of the screen on its own), but I have a feeling that this is the kind of terror and might Metta aspires Grunda to be before he "mellowed out" in N:E. Not that he did any kind of extreme damage on purpose, even Grunda's Chasm in N:E was made just from the Nexolord reviving him, and his entry mentions that it's only getting on Grunda's bad side when he goes on a rampage, so tamers and residents always had to walk on eggshells around him. But what does Grunda secretly want more than anything in the world? Take care of a small camp/village in the desert town Solus (aka Lateria in N:E) as its leader and as the human Ulrich (in the N1 dlc btw, sot it's an idealized verision of what he wants in the world...neat!). So yeah, even if Braccus was given actual freedom with distracting the Guild instead of a set-in-stone calling, he decides on his own that cold-blooded destruction was the only way to go...Until Xanders killed him, that is. And yes I will wholeheartedly believe that Xanders did it barehanded, he's just that kind of dude tbh. -Oh yeah, and who wants to bet that the crystal he has was ripped out of his chest? Either Xanders did it or Braccus did it for a power move, who knows?

9. Volcel (Luxa + Resonect, Resonic, Zappnic, Tephragon)

Isn't it interesting to know that both Volcel and Tephragon have an innate skill in tracking other people and/or monsters? While Volcel mainly used his skills to find a safe place for the Abyssals to hide in (aka. Precursor Mountains), his dex entry notes he "excelled at scouting and locating other living beings"...Maybe Venefelis revived him first to track the other Abyssal skeletons and find the mountain? Just some food for thought here...But yeah, I suppose Metta wanted his not-Luxa Tyrant to do something important and meaningful instead of being materialistic and smiting humans only for fun.

10. Kroma (Kromatice, Phantra, Hohopi, Rapilux, Dredrone)

And last but not least, the attack rabbit themselves! While I love the irony of a cute winged rabbit-fox thing having the power to control ghosts (and she was set loose in Immortal Citadel, you know, the one place already filled to the brim with ghosts...), I kinda believe that her appearance was purely meant to be a distraction to hide her true strength (apart from every other Abyssal I mean). While it doesn't clearly explain how Kroma controls spirits in the first place (and being strong enough to control Ulzar nonetheless), it might work like Dredrone or Phantra with a strange otherworldly energy or hypnotism. Sucks that she only got to roam free in a relatively short time, trying and failing to kill Hilda's apprentice Eliza, before Deena curb-stomped that pile of stuffing into oblivion (or not caring to do her mission with gusto since she knew their master won't show up, who knows)...But hey, at least we'll get to see them again in Nexomon 3...Hopefully.

Anywho, thanks for reading my growing brand of rants here, and here's to the future installment in the completely underrated Nexomon series!

[oculusxcaro]

Tag 10 people you want to know better

favourite colour: blue and orange! song stuck in your head: don't regret - tatu last song you listened to: destroy me - mr. kitty 3 favourite foods: tomato and cheese pasta, sweet chilli rice crackers, granny smith apples dream trip: greece (or cyprus) anything I want rn: shit, I don't know? a good night's sleep and a tall glass of fresh inspiration juice sounds really good right about now maybe? ♥

tagged by: @qu-tipie and @sheldoney (thank you both ♡) tagging: @arkhmlcst, @bdybag, @dcmonshcad, @draggeddowntothedark, @elisethetraveller, @goldenmedic, @pains-illusions, @paleobird, @sebastianshaw, @the-rorschach-mask (and anybody else who'd like to do this?)