Unknown Ancient Culture discovered in Peru

[seeder]

Archaeologists from the University of Wrocław working in the Atacama Desert in Peru have discovered more than 150 burials belonging to a previously unknown culture.

The find, dating to between the 4th-7th century CE, indicates that the northern part of the Atacama Desert had been inhabited by a farming community before the expansion of the Tiwanaku civilisation into the region. The team from the Institute of Archaeology has carried out research in the area since 2008 as part of the Tambo Project along with researchers from Peru and Colombia.

The cemetery was discovered in the Tambo river delta, in the northern part of the Atacama Desert. “These graves had been dug in the sand without any stone structures, and for this reason they were so difficult to locate that they have not fallen prey to robbers” – said Prof. Józef Szykulski, leader of the research project.

Desert conditions also preserved the contents of the graves. “These burials are of a virtually unknown people, who inhabited the area before the expansion of the Tiwanaku civilisation. Items found in individual graves indicate that the people already had a clear social division” – said Prof. Szykulski.

Inside the tombs, the archaeologists found many artefacts including headgear made of felted lama wool, which could have functioned as a type of helmet. Some of the bodies were wrapped in mats, others in cotton burial shrouds, and others in nets.

http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/07/2014/unknown-culture-discovered-in-peru

[Ichihara]

last month they discover Wari geoglyph, new road and tunnel to Machu Picchu, very well preserved quipus...