Archaeologists in Peru have made an incredible discovery – 73 burial bundles from the Wari Empire period found undisturbed at the archaeological site of Pachacamac, near Lima.
The bundles contained mummified remains, some with exquisitely carved wooden masks and ceramic “false heads”. This find provides new insights into the Wari culture and how they prepared and honored their dead.
Pachacamac has long been an important religious site for many ancient Andean civilizations. Located on the central coast of Peru, it featured a famous temple and was an oracle location for a fertility deity.
The newly discovered graves date back to around 800-1100 AD, when the Wari Empire was at its peak of expansion along the coast.
The burials were found in layers underneath the terraces of a later Inca temple. They had been carefully placed in bundles made of cloth or plant materials.
Many bundles were individually placed, while some were found in family groups. Due to their protected location under fallen adobe walls, 19 bundles were remarkably well-preserved with intact structures.
Archaeologists were amazed to find some bundles contained wooden masks or ceramic “false heads” carefully positioned on the deceased. These ornate additions were used to prepare the dead for their afterlife journey.
Other bundles contained clues about the individuals buried, such as signs of warfare injuries or disabilities they had in life.
Radiocarbon dating and artifacts found in the area date the burials precisely to the Wari Empire period. This challenges previous ideas that Pachacamac continuously functioned as a major religious site from earliest times.
Instead, it seems to have been a ceremonial center and residential area during Wari rule. Rituals and iconography reflected coastal northern traditions more than motifs from Wari heartland sites.
The well-preserved mummies, masks, and bundle wrapping will allow for detailed studies of the Wari people using modern scientific techniques, like CT scans.
This discovery enhances our understanding of Wari imperial influence along the coast and cultural practices surrounding death and ancestor veneration during this important period in ancient Andean history. It is a remarkable window into the past.
Sources
J. Chyla, Seventy-three intact burials with carved masks discovered at Pachacámac
- Share on:
Discover more from LBV Magazine English Edition
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Why Would All Lightsabers on Earth Be Blue? Can We Really Freeze People in Carbonite? The Science Behind Star Wars
Since its premiere in 1977, Star Wars has captivated generations with its mix of adventure, philosophy, and futuristic technology. But how much of what we see on screen could be…
Huge Invisible Molecular Cloud Discovered Near Earth
In a discovery that challenges conventional astronomical observation techniques, a team of researchers led by Rutgers University–New Brunswick has identified a colossal molecular hydrogen cloud, one of the largest structures…
Diotima of Mantinea, the Priestess Who Taught Socrates the Philosophy of Love
In his dialogues, Plato mentions an enigmatic figure who stands out both for her wisdom and her gender: a woman named Diotima of Mantinea. She was a priestess who instructed…
Scientists Solve the Mystery of Bolivia’s “Zombie” Volcano Uturuncu, Geologically Dead but Showing Signs of Activity
An international team of scientists from China, the United Kingdom, and the United States has managed to decipher the internal processes of the Uturuncu volcano in Bolivia, known as the…
The Strange Iron Keys from the Roman Era Found in the Judean Desert
In the 1960s, archaeologist Yigael Yadin discovered in the Cave of Letters, in the Judean Desert, a treasure trove of objects belonging to Jewish refugees fleeing the Bar-Kokhba revolt against…
The Megalithic Sepulcher of Küsterberg, a Large 5500-year-old Monument in Germany, Restored
In the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, in the lush forest of Haldensleben, lies the largest concentration of megalithic tombs in Central Europe. Among them, the Küsterberg Megalithic Sepulcher, an imposing…
Cleopatra the Alchemist, One of the Four Women Whom Hermetic Tradition Claims Found the Philosopher’s Stone
The Philosopher’s Stone is not just the object of desire for Voldemort, who longs to regain his full powers in the first Harry Potter novel. There was a time when its pursuit was the…
Identity of the Occupants of the Tomb of Persephone in Vergina Revealed: They Are Not Philip II and His Wife
An international team of scientists has unveiled new findings about the enigmatic Tomb I, known as the Tomb of Persephone, located in the Great Tumulus of Vergina, Greece. This monument,…
The Papyrus Containing the Only Word Personally Written by Cleopatra Granted Tax Favors to an Influential Roman
In the display cases of the Egyptian Museum of Berlin lies a fragile piece of papyrus that speaks not of turbulent romances or epic battles, but of something more mundane…
The Exceptionally Well-Preserved Remains of a 5,000-Year-Old Woman from Caral’s Elite Found in Peru
A team of archaeologists discovered the burial of a high-ranking woman at the Áspero archaeological site, an ancient fishing town of the Caral civilization (3000–1800 BCE), located in the province…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
