Four mummified children, believed to be at least 1,000 years old, have been unearthed in Peru. These remarkable discoveries were made in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Lima, in what was once a revered ceremonial space. Reuters captured photos and video of the archaeological breakthrough.
Researchers believe that the mummies were part of the Ychsma culture. Found next to an adult and near a staircase that may have led to a hidden temple, these ancient remains provide insights into the rituals and traditions of a civilization dating back approximately 3,500 years.
According to Luis Takuda, an archaeologist leading the Huaca La Florida research project, three of the mummies were covered in textiles, while the other two are skeletons with hair still intact on their skulls. “What we see here is that the whole area where we are now was a ceremonial atrium,” Takuda stated. “It was a very important ceremonial atrium where the people who lived in the time of the Ychsma considered it a sacred space and therefore buried their dead here.”
These astounding discoveries add to a growing body of evidence. Earlier this year, a 1,000-year-old skeleton with long, preserved hair was found in Peru’s Miraflores district, while unwrapped mummified children with fair hair were unearthed in Egypt. The latter findings challenged previous theories about hair lightening after death, suggesting instead that it could be attributed to the ancestral lineage of the individuals.
In Peru, the site where the four children were found is near homes and a soccer training field. Lima, with approximately 400 sacred sites, is no stranger to such discoveries. The hill where the mummies were discovered had been covered in trash, requiring months of excavation and relocation of homeless individuals in the area.
Despite expanding urbanization, these intriguing pieces of history and culture continue to captivate archaeologists and researchers. While Lima is home to many of Peru’s archaeological sites, most of them exist outside of the city, highlighting the enduring legacy of ancient civilizations in a rapidly modernizing world.
