Mummy of 800-year-old teenager discovered in Peru – 04/25/2023 – Science
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A pre-Incan mummy aged between 800 and 1,200 years was discovered in perfect condition in an ancient urban center made of clay on the outskirts of Lima (PER), informed, this Tuesday (25), those responsible for the discovery.
The mortal remains would be of a person who would have been about 12 or 13 years old with an approximate height of 1.30 m.
“We found the mummy of a teenager between 800 and 1,200 years old in a funerary structure 2 meters deep in the archaeological site of Cajamarquilla,” archaeologist Yomira Huamán, head of the Cajamarquilla Archaeological Project, told AFP.
The funerary structure was covered with a large clay stone.
The individual, whose sex is still unknown, was likely an inhabitant of the Ichma culture, which existed for around 900 years before being annexed by the Inca Empire in the 15th century.
According to Huamán, the region’s thick sand, with a high salt content, would have generated a natural mummification process, allowing the arms, forearms and both legs to retain skin remnants, while the head, separated from the body, retains locks of hair. . In the case of the jaw, there is still part of the teeth.
“The discovery is very important due to its state of conservation,” said the researcher who leads the team of archaeologists from the University of San Marcos.
Next to the mummy were found a bola (weapon for throwing stones), a mate (plate), a copper needle, remains of fabric, corn and pepper.
As of February 2022, archaeologists have found 20 mummies at Cajamarquilla, including eight children.
Cajamarquilla was an urban center where multiple functions were carried out, such as the administrative, domestic and residential sectors.
The site is considered a pre-Hispanic mud city, which could have housed between 10,000 and 20,000 people in an area of 167 hectares. It was built around 200 BC and was occupied until 1500 AD.
The city is located 24 km east of Lima and is one of the largest archaeological complexes in the Peruvian capital.
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