The mummies were wrapped in cloth and twine, with some wearing wooden and ceramic masks known as “fake heads.”
A mummy wearing a carved mask. Photo: PUCP Archaeology Program, Valley of Pachacamac
Archaeologists excavated the tombs of at least 73 individuals who lived approximately 1,000 years ago, several hundred years before the Inca people dominated many areas in western South America, as reported by Live Science on November 28. All 73 mummies were wrapped in cloth, some using brightly colored fabrics and twine. Some wore masks made of wood and ceramics, referred to as “fake heads,” according to Krzysztof Makowski, the head of the excavation team and an archaeologist at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. The expert team also discovered elaborately designed multicolored pottery in some of the tombs.
The newly discovered mummies are located at the archaeological site of Pachacamac, belonging to the Wari cultural period, near the capital city of Lima in Peru. They were buried near the Painted Temple around the years 800-1100, during the expansion of the Wari Empire in this region.
The Wari civilization is renowned for well-preserved mummies, exquisite art, including sophisticated pottery and fabric designs. They also practiced human sacrifices and used hallucinogenic substances in religious ceremonies.
In addition to the 73 mummies, archaeologists found two wooden staffs at the ruins of a nearby settlement. They were placed amidst shells of thorny oysters (Spondylus princeps) imported from what is now Ecuador, north of the Wari Empire. Each staff bore intricate carvings.
Experts are currently conducting further excavations at Pachacamac and analyzing the mummies. In the Quechua language spoken by the indigenous people of the Andes region, Pachacamac means “the one who brings life to the Earth.” Archaeological research indicates that Pachacamac was a relatively modest settlement during the Wari period but experienced significant growth during the Inca era. It became an important religious worship site in the 15th century.