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A submerged Inca offering hints at Lake Titicaca’s sacred role

Similar stone boxes have also been found at human sacrifice sites in the Andes

Inca ritual offering llama figurine

An Inca ritual offering found submerged in Lake Titicaca included a llama or alpaca figurine carved out of a spiny oyster shell and a rolled gold sheet.

T. Seguin/Univ. libre de Bruxelles

By Bruce Bower

- More than 2 years ago

A stone box fished out of Lake Titicaca contains tiny items that add an intriguing twist to what’s known about the Inca empire’s religious practices and supernatural beliefs about the massive lake.