The mummy, 800 to 1200 years old, was discovered by archaeologists from the National University of San Marcos (Peru) in the town of Cajamarquilla, about 25 km from the capital of the country, Lima. Burial dates back to before the Inca civilization.
“The discovery of this mummy sheds new light on human relationships in ancient times,” said Peter Van Dalen Luna, one of the archaeologists who led the excavation, with joy.
Most likely, it was a young man, 20-30 years old, who descended from the mountains to the place where Cajamarquilla is now. Then there was a lively market.
Excavations began in mid-October, but scientists never expected to find a mummy there. “Our whole group is just happy, – says another participant in the excavation, archaeologist Homira Huaman Santillan, – this is an amazing discovery!”
Another unexpected find was several shells of sea mollusks – scientists found them outside the tomb, which contained the mummy. This is very significant since Cajamarquilla is located about 25 km from the sea coast. According to Van Dalen Luna, even after this young man was buried, people continued to go to the tomb – perhaps his descendants, and they brought food to the deceased, including shellfish. In addition to shells, archaeologists have found many more llama bones. The meat of this animal was included in the usual diet of the ancestors of the Incas, the deceased, apparently, brought a llama too.
An analysis of the burial led the researchers to the conclusion that during its lifetime the current mummy was a noble person with a high status. Probably, Van Dalen Lung suggests, he was a wealthy merchant with significant governing powers.
Based on materials from CNN
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