The tomb of a hierarch of the pre-Columbian Chancay culture, which developed in the coastal valleys of Peru between 1200 and 1470, was discovered by a group of archaeologists on the north coast of Lima, one of the researchers confirmed Sunday.
"Under seven meters deep we have found the tomb of an elite character more than 1,000 years old from the pre-Inca Chancay culture," archaeologist Pieter Van Dalen told AFP.
The discovery occurred this week at the Macatón funerary archaeological site, in the province of Huaral, about 75 kilometers. north of Lima.
The researchers who worked on the discovery had to carefully dig the earth for two months to discover the tomb of the important character of the Chancay culture.
The remains found in Peru belong to a chief of the Chancay culture. AFP Photo/National University of San Marcos
For Van Dalen it would be a main character or "curaca" (leader) of the Chancay culture due to the large dimensions of the tomb, seven meters deep by seven meters wide, which makes it the largest among those found in the archaeological site, which has an approximate area of 50 hectares.
"The curaca of Macatón was a character who, according to the materials associated with his tomb, would have been dedicated to fishing activity," said Van Dalen, who supports his assumption in the presence of a wooden oar inside the tomb.
Next to the tomb of the curaca of Macatón were found five other people, including children and adults.
Large ceramic vessels with animal figures and the remains of four llamas were also found. The brown and cream pitchers contained remains of fish, corn and guinea pigs, which were eitherbraces for the dead in ancient times.
The find occurred at the Macatón archaeological site, in the coastal province of Huaral. Photo: AFP/National University of San Marcos.
The Chancay and the mummies with "life after death"
"The Chancays believed a lot in life after death. The deceased, because of his importance in society when he died, did not die. There his existence did not end, but he became an ancestor, a mallqui (mummy)," said the professor at the National University of San Marcos.
"The character after death became the guardian and protector of his family and his community," explained the academic, who added that between January and May 35 funerary contexts or tombs have been found in the archaeological site.
The pre-Inca Chancay culture developed in the valleys of Fortaleza, Pativilca, Supe, Huaura, Chancay, Chillón, Rímac and Lurín, on the central coast of Peru, between 1200 and 1470. Its cemeteries were characterized by their large surfaces.
Next to the human remains were found vessels with offerings to the dead. Photo: AFP/National University of San Marcos.
There were twotypes of burial in the Chancay culture. A special one for the upper class or for the great lords, who had rectangular or quadrangular chambers made of adobe, covered with roofs and walls of cane a few meters underground, in funerary bundles containing ceramics, fabrics and articles in gold and silver.
For the common settlers, their burials were carried out almost on the surface, covered by funeral bundles with mats and accompanied only with few offerings.
In the Peruvian capital, of 10 million inhabitants, there are more than 500 archaeological sites, among which dozens of "huacas" stand out, ceremonial centers built by the ancient settlers mainly with adobe.
DS
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