Over 1,000 years ago, a 50-year-old woman was ceremonially laid to rest in the ancient settlement of Pachacamac, near Lima, Peru.
The mummified skeleton, discovered in a vast burial site just yards from the long-abandoned civilization’s temple, was found in a fetal position.
Taking great care not to damage the well-preserved body of the woman, archaeologists have maintained her in the same state as they found her, in preparation for unveiling the mummy at a French museum exhibition.
The mummified skeleton of a 50-year-old woman, discovered in a fetal position at an ancient burial site in Peru, is set to be exhibited this week.
Taking precautions to avoid harming the well-preserved body of the woman, archaeologists have maintained her in the same state as she was discovered, as they get ready to unveil the mummy.
Experts delicately lower the woman, discovered in the ancient civilization of Pachacamac, as they prepare the skeleton for its unveiling at the Musee de Confluences in Lyon later this month.
The mummy will be revealed to the public at the Musee de Confluences in Lyon when it opens later this month.
From a pre-Inca civilization, the frail skeleton will form part of the new museum’s exploration of human representations of death in different ages and cultures around the world.
Pachacamac, based around 25 miles south of the Peruvian capital, was situated on the Pacific coastline.
More than 80 skeletons and mummies – including infants who appeared to have been killed for ritual reasons – were found in a spectacular 1,000-year-old tomb at the site in 2012.
Beyond these bodies, a further 70 skeletons and mummies – all in the fetal position – were lying around, most of them still wrapped up.
The delicate skeleton will be included in the new museum’s investigation into human depictions of death.
The Pachacamac civilization, based around 25 miles south of the Peruvian capital, worshipped the god Pacha Kamaq, whom they believed created the first man and woman.
The inhabitants of the ancient town, which thrived between the years 800 and 1450, revered the god Pacha Kamaq, credited with the creation of the first man and woman.
The townspeople, responsible for constructing 17 pyramids, eventually integrated with the Incas as the latter expanded their influence across much of South America.
Encompassing nearly 600 hectares of arid land, the monumental site is regarded as one of the most significant ancient settlements in South America, often considered as important as Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines.
The mummy was discovered by the Ychsma Project, directed by the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium, which has conducted archaeological excavations in Pachacamac since 1999.