Archaeologists unearth children’s mummies in Lima – 11/22/2023 – Science

Archaeologists have unearthed four mummies of children from at least a thousand years ago in a region considered a “sacred ceremonial space” by its ancient inhabitants, in a new discovery of ancient remains in Peru’s capital, a researcher said.

The infant mummies found, in addition to one adult, belong to the Ychsma culture, which developed on the central Peruvian coast before the Inca Empire, said archaeologist Luis Takuda, who is investigating an ancient complex in Lima’s Rimac district.

The remains, three of them inside a bundle covered by layers of fabric, were found last Monday (20) at the foot of a clay staircase on top of “Huaca la Florida”, a small hill under study where it is believed there is a hidden archaeological temple built 3,500 years ago, Takuda said.

“What we are seeing is that the entire region where we are positioned right now is a very important ceremonial atrium,” said Takuda, in the area of ​​the complex during archaeological work.

In Lima, with around 10 million inhabitants, discoveries of mummies and ancient remains are frequent. The country’s capital has approximately 400 archaeological ruins, both in poor and residential neighborhoods, according to experts.

The largest archaeological remains in Peru are found outside of Lima or in places like Cusco, capital of the Inca Empire that fell to Spanish rule in the 16th century.