Peruvian archaeologists have recently discovered the mummified remains of a high-ranking official from the Huari tribe, who lived approximately 1,300 years ago. This is the oldest mummy ever found in Peru’s capital, Lima.
The mummy, which is not intact and missing its head, was located in the Huaca Pucllana burial complex in Lima.
Isabel Flores, the director of the Huaca Pucllana museum and an archaeologist, stated that the Huari civilization predates the Inca, the dominant civilization in South America that extended from Colombia to Chile until the Spanish conquest in the 1530s.
“Based on the clothing of the man, we can determine that he was a high-ranking official wrapped in fabric and rope made from plant fibers,” Flores said.
The Huari were a warrior tribe that ruled the central Andes of Peru and coastal regions between 600 and 1000 AD. They were renowned for their high-quality textiles and diverse pottery styles. Later, the Ichma people rose up and overthrew Huari society. The decapitation of the Huari general was an act intended to obliterate any remnants of a race that had dominated them for many years.
“This was a rebellious act against the Huari. This discovery provides us with valuable information about ancient life in what is now the capital of Peru,” Flores added.
The mummy was surrounded by clothing and food items such as corn and beans. The dry skin and bones had largely disintegrated, with most of the ligaments exposed.
M.T. (according to ABC Online)
