Remains of an ancient noblewoman have been discovered at a site unfit for a queen — a former garbage dump in Caral, Peru. The dump became an archaeological site in the 1990s.
Archaeologists in what may be one of the oldest cities in the Americas, unearthed the mummified woman who was between 20 years and 35 years old. They estimate she was buried about 5,000 years ago. Her body was wrapped in cotton fabrics, reed mats, and covered by a panel embroidered with macaw feathers. She also wore a headdress. The quality of the preservation of both her body and the objects buried with it is unusual.
“This is an exceptional burial due to the preservation of skin, hair, and nails, a rare condition in this area, where usually only skeletal remains are recovered,” according to a press release from Peru’s cultural ministry (translated from Spanish).
Ancient Peruvian Heritage
The type and quality of the clothes the woman was buried in indicate high social status — perhaps a ruler. What appear to be grave offerings provide further evidence in a space beneath her, including four rush baskets, a needle with incised designs, an Amazonian snail shell, a toucan's beak inlaid with green and brown beads, a wool textile, a fishing net, about 30 sweet potatoes, and weaving tools, among other items. A space above where the body was laid included three bottle-shaped gourds and another basket on a reed mat.
“The characteristics of the offerings and the funerary treatment indicate that the woman was a figure of high social rank, reinforcing the evidence of the leading female role in this ancient Andean society,” according to the press release.
The embroidered panel is one of the oldest examples of feather art in the Andes. Specialists said it indicated a high technical level during the Caral Civilization. That such an article was buried with the body lends more credence to the woman's social status.
Read More: Is Caral, Peru, the Oldest City in the Americas?
Learning More About Caral Society
Archeologists are examining the mummy to learn more about the woman’s health, diet, and cause of death. They are also investigating the origins of the materials used to make the objects she was buried with.
Caral society developed between 3000 and 1800 B.C., around the same time as other cultures in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China. Although men are thought to have been leaders in that society, women are thought to have elevated roles. The city — thought to be an ancient fishing village — was declared a United Nations World Heritage Site in 2009. It sits 113 miles north of Lima and 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean.
Read More: More Than 300 Skeletons Uncovered From Medieval and Post-Medieval Eras in UK
Article Sources
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Ministerio de Cultura. Civilización Caral: Descubren entierro de una Mujer de Élite y evidencias de las relaciones interculturales
Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.
