This is an incomplete list of mountains in the Andes that are known to have had pre-Columbian ascents. It is divided into those peaks for which there is direct evidence of an ascent to the summit, and those peaks where evidence has been found only at a lower altitude on the mountain. Ascents were made for religious purposes by groups affiliated with the Inca Empire. These ascents sometimes involved the ritual child sacrifice known as qhapaq hucha.
Mountains with known ascents to the summit
Name Elevation (m) Location Explanation Acay 5,770 Argentina Human bone and walls found on summit Ampato 6,288 Peru Juanita mummy found just under summitAntofalla 6,440 Argentina Summit shrine Alto Toroni 5,995 Chile-Bolivia Large summit platformColorado 5,742 Chile Summit quadrangleChachani 6,057 Peru Summit ruins, skeleton, firewoodChañi 5,930 Argentina Summit ruinsChiliques 5,778 Chile Summit ruin and firewood del Plomo 5,424 Chile Mummy found near summitGalan 5,912 Argentina Tombs and statuettes Incahuasi 6,621 Chile-Argentina Ruined walls near summitLaguna Blanca 6,012 Argentina Large platform and firewood near summitLicancabur 5,930 Chile-Bolivia Firewood and structures discovered on summit Llullaillaco 6,739 Chile-Argentina Dwellings and shrines on and near summitMisti 5,842 Peru walls, firewood, human sacrifices (the largest number of bodies found in The Andes) Chuscha 5,420 Argentina Summit platform, ruins, sacrifice victimCopiapó 6,052 Chile Summit ruinsSairecabur 5,971 Chile-Bolivia FirewoodTambillos 5,806 Chile-Argentina Summit platform, firewoodPili 6,046 Chile Small summit platformTortolas 6,160 Chile-Argentina Summit platform Paniri 5,940 Chile Various structures on summitPichu Pichu 5,665 Peru Walls, human sacrifice, firewood Pular 6,225 Chile Small dwelling and firewood found Queva 6,140 Argentina 1974 expedition found plundered shrineReclus 6,275 Argentina Extensive summit constructions Sara Sara 5,505 Peru Stone wall discovered on summit 1921El Toro 6,168 Chile-Argentina Mummy found in 1964
Mountains with evidence found at high altitude
Name Elevation (m) Location ExplanationAconcagua 6,959 Argentina Guanaco found at c.6900m, Child sacrifice at 5250mAucanquilcha 6,176 Chile Inca ruins at 5400mMercedario 6,700 Argentina Walls at c.6400m on summit ridgeSocompa 6,030 Chile-Argentina Walls & structures at 5000-5700mCoropuna 6,425 Peru Inca pottery foundHualca Hualca 6,025 Peru Puma skin & coca leaves found near summit
References
Beorchia, Antonio: "El enigma de los Santuarios Indigenas de alta montaña" CIADAM - Centro de Investigaciones Arqueologicas de Alta Montaña, 1984, San Juan. Reinhard, Johan The Ice Maiden: Inca Mummies, Mountain Gods, and Sacred Sites in the Andes. 2005, Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society. Reinhard, Johan and Ceruti, María Constanza: "Inca Rituals and Sacred Mountains: A Study of the World's Highest Archaeological Sites" Los Angeles: UCLA, 2010.