Archaeologists Unearth 1,000-Year-Old Mummies of Children in Lima, Peru
Archaeologists in Peru have unearthed four mummies of children believed to be at least 1,000 years old from what was once a sacred ceremonial space that is now in one of the oldest neighborhoods of modern-day Lima.
The children were discovered on Monday alongside the remains of an adult and are believed to be from the Ychsma culture that inhabited the central coast of Peru from approximately 900 to 1450 AD, before the rise of the Inca Empire.
Some of the remains were found at the foot of a staircase on a small hill which is believed to have once hidden a temple. “This whole area is a very important ceremonial chamber,” said Luis Takuda, an archaeologist in Lima’s Rimac district. “The people who lived here during the Ychsma period still considered it a sacred space and therefore buried their dead here.”
The mummies’ skulls still had hair on them, and were found alongside ceramics. The site is believed to be around 3,500 years old and was likely home to a temple. This discovery sheds new light on the practices and beliefs of the ancient Ychsma culture.
With a population of about 10 million, the Peruvian capital is home to some 400 archaeological ruins. Peru’s largest archaeological sites are located outside Lima in places such as Cusco, which was the capital of the Inca Empire and fell to Spanish conquistadores in the 16th century.
The research was led by Reuters TV and the report was written by Marco Aquino and Sarah Morland. The findings highlight the rich cultural heritage and history of Peru, shedding light on the ancient civilizations that once thrived in the region.