Our examination, based on produced CT-scan
images, 3D reproduction and comparison with
existing literature (e.g. [13], [14], [15]), leads to the
following conclusions:
(a) The "archaeological" find with an unknown
form of "animal" was identified to have a head
composed of a llama deteriorated braincase. The
examination of the seemingly new form shows that it
is made from mummified parts of unidentified
animals. To this end, a new perception of the lama
deteriorated braincase physiology is gained through
the CT-scan examination by producing and studying
various sections, as presented in the paper. This new
piece of information could not have been perceived
without the motivation to identify Josephina's head
bones, which are most probably an archaeological
find. One can point to the supposition that Peru
cultures used animal body elements to express art or
religious beliefs (based on the importance that llamas
played in the Peruvian cosmology - see Introduction).
(b) A deteriorated lama braincase can produce
features (like cavities) that can be found on a human
cranium, and that also greatly resemble the main head
bones of Josephina.
(c) Concerning the remains of the head of
Josephina:
1. They are biological in nature. At the available
resolution of the CT-scanning, no manipulation of
Josephina's skull can be detected. The density of the
face bones matches very well the density of the rest
of the skull. No seams with glues, etc. are obvious,
and the whole skull forms one unit.
2. The skull as a unit is made of thin to very thin
bone, which is greatly deteriorated all over.
Especially deteriorated is the lower part, which gives
the impression of decomposed bone in such a scale
that - in places - it cannot keep its original form
without the support of the external skin. This
indirectly attests to the great age of the find or to bad
conditions of preservation.
3. The comparison between Josephina's skull and
the braincase of a llama (and an alpaca) results
mainly, in (i) differences in thickness (that may be
explained by deterioration), (ii) existence of mouth
plates in Josephina's skull that seem to be joined to
the face bones, (iii) differences in the occipital area.
4. No similarities could be identified between
Josephina's mouth plates to any skeleton part,
although many parts of a skeleton may have some
resemblance (modified hyoid, thyroid, vertebral
piece, etc.). No remains of the feeding and breathing
tracks have been identified in the present analysis.
Also, the cervical vertebrae are solid, made of less
dense material than bone (cartilage?) with no passage
for a spinal cord. Instead, three cords have been
identified connecting the head with the body.
5. There is a great similarity in shape and features
between Josephina's skull and the braincase of a
llama (and an alpaca). There are also features on
Josephina's skull like the orbital fissure and the optic
canal, similar to the llama's, that are however on the
opposite site of the skull than where they should be,
forcing one to accept that the skull of Josephina is a
modified llama braincase.
6. One can also assume that the finds are
archaeological in nature, judging from the age
estimation of the metal implant present in
Josephina's chest (pre-Columbian period) and the
C14 chronological estimation as performed on the
mummy "Victoria" (950 AD to 1250 AD). At the
same time, one could assume that the remains are
articulated from archaeological staff or assembled
from recent biological material with the use of acids
and methods that cannot be dated with C14.
7. Based on the above, if one is convinced that the
finds constitute a fabrication, one has to admit at the
same time that the finds are constructions of very
high quality and wonder how these were produced
hundreds of year ago (based on the C14 test), or even
today, with primitive technology and poor means
available to huaqueros, the tomb raiders of Peru.
8. The method of comparing CT-scan images of a
subject to images of known material, shows its
usefulness in identifying unknown bones and
detecting dissimilarities.