The high altitude peaks of the Andes were sacred to the Inca. High altitude sanctuaries were strung out along the Andes chain, with cerro El Plomo at the southernmost end of Inca territory, near present day Santiago, Chile. There, the frozen body of an Inca boy with numerous grave goods was discovered and purchased by the National Museum of Natural History, Santiago. In this paper we present the studies carried out in 1954, 1982 and 2003 by a multidisciplinary team aimed at examining the body, with particular reference to its conservation as well as the preservation of the clothing and grave goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]