The mummy who is affectionately referred to as la Doncella or the Maiden, is that of a teenager who died more than 500 years ago in a ritual sacrifice in the Andes. She is one of the three children who were left to die of hypothermia in the mountains as an offering to the Gods.
The Maiden is so well preserved that people around her feel the need to whisper for fear of waking her up.
She is an invaluable link to the lost world of the Incas.
Vocabulary recap:
snow-capped -(about a mountain) covered with snow at the top
underway - having started and in progress
Holy smokes - An expression of excitement or surprise
outstanding - exceptional
wrapping - covering
hushed voices - whispers
unravel - to resolve or untangle
brand new - completely new
remnants - vestiges
cloaked - hidden or covered from view
wiped out - destroyed
glimpse - a brief or partial view
watchful - alert and careful
slumped - lean or fall
Source: Smithsonian