(BBC - News)
According to archaeologists, it pushes back the dawn of religion in the region by 1,000 years.
The fragment of a bowl dated to about 4,000 years ago bears the image of the Staff God, the main deity in the Andes for thousands of years.
The figure was found at a looted cemetery on the coast of Peru, 120 miles north of Lima.
The area appears to have been the ancestral home of pre-Inca civilisation.
'Icon'
"Like the cross, the Staff God is a clearly recognisable religious icon," said Jonathan Haas, MacArthur curator of North American anthropology at The Field Museum, Chicago.
"This appears to be the oldest identifiable religious icon found in the Americas.
"It indicates that organised religion began in the Andes more than 1,000 years earlier than previously thought."
More information .........>
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Monday, November 27, 2006
Tomb find reveals pre-Inca city
(BBC - News)
Archaeologists working in northern Peru have discovered a spectacular tomb complex about 1,000 years old.
The complex contains at least 20 tombs, and dates from the pre-Inca Sican era.
Among the discoveries are 12 "tumis", ceremonial knives which scientists have not been able to study in a burial site before, as well as ceramics and masks.
The Sican culture flourished from approximately AD 800-1300, one of several metalworking societies which succumbed to drought and conquest.
Archaeologists working on the project say the find will help them understand details of the culture.
"It is a religious city, a sacred settlement, and at each excavation site is a cemetery," Izumi Shimada told Peru's El Comercio newspaper.
"That tells us that Sican was a very organised society."
Professor Shimada, based at the University of Southern Illinois in the US, has been excavating Sican sites for a quarter of a century. The latest dig was performed in conjunction with the Sican National Museum.
More information ....>
Archaeologists working in northern Peru have discovered a spectacular tomb complex about 1,000 years old.The complex contains at least 20 tombs, and dates from the pre-Inca Sican era.
Among the discoveries are 12 "tumis", ceremonial knives which scientists have not been able to study in a burial site before, as well as ceramics and masks.
The Sican culture flourished from approximately AD 800-1300, one of several metalworking societies which succumbed to drought and conquest.
Archaeologists working on the project say the find will help them understand details of the culture.
"It is a religious city, a sacred settlement, and at each excavation site is a cemetery," Izumi Shimada told Peru's El Comercio newspaper.
"That tells us that Sican was a very organised society."
Professor Shimada, based at the University of Southern Illinois in the US, has been excavating Sican sites for a quarter of a century. The latest dig was performed in conjunction with the Sican National Museum.
More information ....>
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Corn, Arrowroot Fossils in Peru Change Views on Pre-Inca Culture
Nicholas Bakalarfor National Geographic News
March 2, 2006
An ancient culture in southern Peru cultivated corn some 4,000 years ago, about a thousand years earlier than previously believed, a new study suggests.
Researchers excavating a site in the Andean highland town of Waynuna found both corn leaf and corncob remains in the ruins of a house at least 3,600 years old.
Perhaps even more important, the scientists say, is that they found arrowroot remains at the same dig site.
The presence of this edible root confirms archeologists' suspicions that people in the eastern lowland forests—where the plant was grown—made contact with people in the highlands—where the root was consumed.
"Archaeologists have suspected that there was an important connection between the two areas based upon iconographic evidence and some coastal finds," said Linda Perry, the lead author on the study.
Perry is an archaeobiologist with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. She conducted the research with Dolores Piperno, a staff scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama and a National Geographic Society grantee.
Perry added that "our arrowroot fossils are the first highland evidence documenting this connection. Our finds indicate that the connection was early and of long duration."
She and her team describe their findings in this month's issue of the journal Nature.
more information ........>
March 2, 2006
An ancient culture in southern Peru cultivated corn some 4,000 years ago, about a thousand years earlier than previously believed, a new study suggests.Researchers excavating a site in the Andean highland town of Waynuna found both corn leaf and corncob remains in the ruins of a house at least 3,600 years old.
Perhaps even more important, the scientists say, is that they found arrowroot remains at the same dig site.
The presence of this edible root confirms archeologists' suspicions that people in the eastern lowland forests—where the plant was grown—made contact with people in the highlands—where the root was consumed.
"Archaeologists have suspected that there was an important connection between the two areas based upon iconographic evidence and some coastal finds," said Linda Perry, the lead author on the study.
Perry is an archaeobiologist with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. She conducted the research with Dolores Piperno, a staff scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama and a National Geographic Society grantee.
Perry added that "our arrowroot fossils are the first highland evidence documenting this connection. Our finds indicate that the connection was early and of long duration."
She and her team describe their findings in this month's issue of the journal Nature.
more information ........>
Ancient Canals in Andes Reveal Early Agriculture
Nicholas Bakalarfor National Geographic News
December 5, 2005
Despite a lack of solid evidence, archeologists have thought for some time that farmers used irrigation canals in agricultural villages in Peru as long as 4,000 years ago.
New discoveries in the Peruvian Andes may push that date back another 2,700 years.
Scientists say they have unearthed evidence of the oldest canals ever found in South America.
The ancient canals were almost certainly designed for irrigation and were built in the Andean foothills in northern Peru's Zaña Valley, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) from the Pacific coast.
Researchers describe their find in the November 22 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"This is an important paper with terrific results," said Jonathan Haas, an anthropologist at the Field Museum in Chicago, who was not involved in the research.
"Every day we have a better understanding of the beginnings of agriculture and domesticated economy. But the whole question of irrigation has so far been indirectly inferred based on the existence of the plants," he said.
The new study "has nailed that down very solidly. Irrigation starts remarkably early in the Andes. You're getting agriculture based on irrigation in the Andes as early as anything seen in the rest of the New World," he added. "It is just stunning work."
more information ........>
December 5, 2005
Despite a lack of solid evidence, archeologists have thought for some time that farmers used irrigation canals in agricultural villages in Peru as long as 4,000 years ago.
New discoveries in the Peruvian Andes may push that date back another 2,700 years.
Scientists say they have unearthed evidence of the oldest canals ever found in South America.
The ancient canals were almost certainly designed for irrigation and were built in the Andean foothills in northern Peru's Zaña Valley, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) from the Pacific coast.
Researchers describe their find in the November 22 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"This is an important paper with terrific results," said Jonathan Haas, an anthropologist at the Field Museum in Chicago, who was not involved in the research.
"Every day we have a better understanding of the beginnings of agriculture and domesticated economy. But the whole question of irrigation has so far been indirectly inferred based on the existence of the plants," he said.
The new study "has nailed that down very solidly. Irrigation starts remarkably early in the Andes. You're getting agriculture based on irrigation in the Andes as early as anything seen in the rest of the New World," he added. "It is just stunning work."
more information ........>
Monday, November 06, 2006
Peru Bird-Watching Takes Flight With 1,800 Species
John Roachfor National Geographic News
November 22, 2004
Eco-lodges are sprouting under the forest canopy, guidebooks are rolling off the presses, and Peruvians are eager to showcase their country as a bird-watcher's paradise.
That is the message trilled by John O'Neill, an ornithologist at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, who has visited the country to study birds almost every year since 1961.
"It's a country that still has major areas totally unknown biologically," he said. "There have been more than 50 species of bird discovered and described in the last 50 years. I've had the good fortune of being involved with 13."
Peru is home to more than 1,800 bird species, 120 of which are found nowhere else in the world. At least five new species have also been discovered as of this year and are still waiting official scientific description.
The diversity of bird species in Peru, O'Neill said, stems from its ecological and geographical diversity. On the coast, the Pacific Ocean laps at parched desert. Inland, dry forest and scrubland rise to the snowcapped Andes. Toward the east, cloud forests spill into the Amazon Basin.
"It really is packed with landscapes and habitats," said Thomas Valqui, a Lima-based ornithologist and graduate student at LSU. "In five hours you can go from a dry desert through snow at 5,000 meters [16,400 feet] elevation to the rain forest."
Thomas Schulenberg is a conservation ecologist at the Field Museum in Chicago and an expert on Peruvian birds. He said South America is the "bird continent," thanks to bird species that are more diverse and abundant than those in tropical Asia or Africa.
That, in turn, makes Peru a hot spot, Schulenberg said. "Peru has dazzling geographic diversity, which equates to habitat diversity, which translates to more bird species."
Birders' Delights
Barry Walker is the owner of Cuzco-based Manu Expeditions and a recognized expert on birding in Peru. He said the opportunity to discover bird species new to science is attractive to a handful of people, but most come simply to marvel at the diversity of species.
"Large numbers [of birds], plus some large spectacular attractions, are the prime reason for a visit," he said.
more information .....>
That is the message trilled by John O'Neill, an ornithologist at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, who has visited the country to study birds almost every year since 1961.
"It's a country that still has major areas totally unknown biologically," he said. "There have been more than 50 species of bird discovered and described in the last 50 years. I've had the good fortune of being involved with 13."
Peru is home to more than 1,800 bird species, 120 of which are found nowhere else in the world. At least five new species have also been discovered as of this year and are still waiting official scientific description.
The diversity of bird species in Peru, O'Neill said, stems from its ecological and geographical diversity. On the coast, the Pacific Ocean laps at parched desert. Inland, dry forest and scrubland rise to the snowcapped Andes. Toward the east, cloud forests spill into the Amazon Basin.
"It really is packed with landscapes and habitats," said Thomas Valqui, a Lima-based ornithologist and graduate student at LSU. "In five hours you can go from a dry desert through snow at 5,000 meters [16,400 feet] elevation to the rain forest."
Thomas Schulenberg is a conservation ecologist at the Field Museum in Chicago and an expert on Peruvian birds. He said South America is the "bird continent," thanks to bird species that are more diverse and abundant than those in tropical Asia or Africa.
That, in turn, makes Peru a hot spot, Schulenberg said. "Peru has dazzling geographic diversity, which equates to habitat diversity, which translates to more bird species."
Birders' Delights
Barry Walker is the owner of Cuzco-based Manu Expeditions and a recognized expert on birding in Peru. He said the opportunity to discover bird species new to science is attractive to a handful of people, but most come simply to marvel at the diversity of species.
"Large numbers [of birds], plus some large spectacular attractions, are the prime reason for a visit," he said.
more information .....>
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Cloud Forests Fading in the Mist, Their Treasures Little Known
John Roachfor National Geographic News
August 13, 2001
They are nature's "water towers," providing billions of gallons of fresh, clean, filtered water. They are home to thousands of indigenous peoples, and storehouses of biodiversity, at least 80 percent of which has not yet been catalogued.
Yet in as little as ten years' time, biologists warn, the world's cloud forests—evergreen mountain forests that are almost permanently shrouded in mist and clouds—may be all but gone.
They are being cleared for cattle grazing and coca plantations. Logged to provide fuel for heating and cooking. Paved over and developed to make way for transportation and telecommunications networks. They are being damaged and dried out by air pollutants and global warming.
Now, cloud forests are rising to the top of the world's scientific and conservation agenda. But will scientists learn enough about these important ecosystems to be able to convince the world to conserve them before they are gone forever?
Percy Nuñez, a research biologist in Cuzco, Peru, who studies cloud forests, estimates they are disappearing at a such a rate that the "the cloud forest will all be gone in the next ten years."
"We don't know about our resources—80 to 90 percent of the cloud forests are a mystery to us all," Nuñez said.
Yet scientists have barely begun assessing the wide range of species that clod forests harbor, he noted. "We don't have biologists working in cloud forests. We are not training young scientists to do the work," he said.
Now, he added, "we are working with NASA, using satellite images to get some idea of what's there before it is gone. There aren't any field guides available."
More information ......>
John Roachfor National Geographic News
August 13, 2001
They are nature's "water towers," providing billions of gallons of fresh, clean, filtered water. They are home to thousands of indigenous peoples, and storehouses of biodiversity, at least 80 percent of which has not yet been catalogued.
Yet in as little as ten years' time, biologists warn, the world's cloud forests—evergreen mountain forests that are almost permanently shrouded in mist and clouds—may be all but gone.
They are being cleared for cattle grazing and coca plantations. Logged to provide fuel for heating and cooking. Paved over and developed to make way for transportation and telecommunications networks. They are being damaged and dried out by air pollutants and global warming.
Now, cloud forests are rising to the top of the world's scientific and conservation agenda. But will scientists learn enough about these important ecosystems to be able to convince the world to conserve them before they are gone forever?
Percy Nuñez, a research biologist in Cuzco, Peru, who studies cloud forests, estimates they are disappearing at a such a rate that the "the cloud forest will all be gone in the next ten years."
"We don't know about our resources—80 to 90 percent of the cloud forests are a mystery to us all," Nuñez said.
Yet scientists have barely begun assessing the wide range of species that clod forests harbor, he noted. "We don't have biologists working in cloud forests. We are not training young scientists to do the work," he said.
Now, he added, "we are working with NASA, using satellite images to get some idea of what's there before it is gone. There aren't any field guides available."
More information ......>
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Caral: A journey back to 2627 B.C.
(Text and information by CNN Travel)
CARAL, Peru (AP) -- A sudden wind gust blows eerily down from rocky Andean foothills, kicking up a cinnamon-colored cloud over the moonscape of ruins that is the oldest city in the Americas.
The sky is a crisp blue. All around in the Supe River Valley are lush fields of onion and corn.
We are in Caral, three hours and nearly 5,000 years from contemporary Lima, Peru's bustling capital, and we've spent the last half-hour or so on a bumpy drive from the coast, along a dirt road blocked periodically by bleating herds of goats and sheep.
Caral made headlines in 2001 when researchers carbon-dated material from the city back to 2627 B.C.
It is a must-see for archaeology enthusiasts.
Even though the ruins in the dusty, wind-swept Supe River Valley don't approximate in majesty the mountains that surround the famed Inca ruins at Machu Picchu, they are an unforgettable sight under the glow of a fiery sunset.
Dotted with pyramid temples, sunken plazas, housing complexes and an amphitheater, Caral is one of 20 sites attributed to the ancient Caral-Supe culture that run almost linearly from Peru's central coast inland up the Andes.
The ruins changed history when researchers proved that a complex urban center in the Americas thrived as a contemporary to ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt -- 1,500 years earlier than previously believed.
But much remains to be discovered about Caral and the Caral-Supe culture that flourished here for more than a thousand years.
Ruth Shady, a Peruvian archaeologist from San Marcos University, discovered Caral in 1994, and was stunned by its size and complexity.
"Caral combined size with construction volume, but also it was a planned city," she says.
Continue...>
(Text and information by CNN Travel)
CARAL, Peru (AP) -- A sudden wind gust blows eerily down from rocky Andean foothills, kicking up a cinnamon-colored cloud over the moonscape of ruins that is the oldest city in the Americas.The sky is a crisp blue. All around in the Supe River Valley are lush fields of onion and corn.
We are in Caral, three hours and nearly 5,000 years from contemporary Lima, Peru's bustling capital, and we've spent the last half-hour or so on a bumpy drive from the coast, along a dirt road blocked periodically by bleating herds of goats and sheep.
Caral made headlines in 2001 when researchers carbon-dated material from the city back to 2627 B.C.
It is a must-see for archaeology enthusiasts.
Even though the ruins in the dusty, wind-swept Supe River Valley don't approximate in majesty the mountains that surround the famed Inca ruins at Machu Picchu, they are an unforgettable sight under the glow of a fiery sunset.
Dotted with pyramid temples, sunken plazas, housing complexes and an amphitheater, Caral is one of 20 sites attributed to the ancient Caral-Supe culture that run almost linearly from Peru's central coast inland up the Andes.
The ruins changed history when researchers proved that a complex urban center in the Americas thrived as a contemporary to ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt -- 1,500 years earlier than previously believed.
But much remains to be discovered about Caral and the Caral-Supe culture that flourished here for more than a thousand years.
Ruth Shady, a Peruvian archaeologist from San Marcos University, discovered Caral in 1994, and was stunned by its size and complexity.
"Caral combined size with construction volume, but also it was a planned city," she says.
Continue...>
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Peru finds ancient burial cave of warrior tribe
By Robin Emmott
LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - Archeologists have uncovered a 600-year-old, large underground cemetery belonging to a Peruvian warrior culture, thought to be the first discovery of its kind, an official said on Thursday.
After a tip-off from a farmer in Peru's northern Amazon jungle, archeologists from Peru's National Culture Institute last week found the 820-feet-(250-meter)deep cave that was used for burial and worship by the Chachapoyas tribe.
So far archeologists have found five mummies, two of which are intact with skin and hair, as well as ceramics, textiles and wall paintings, the expedition's leader and regional cultural director Herman Corbera told Reuters.
"This is a discovery of transcendental importance. We have found these five mummies but I believe there could be many more," Corbera said. "We think this is the first time any kind of underground burial site this size has been found belonging to Chachapoyas or other cultures in the region," he added.
The Chachapoyas, a white-skinned tribe known as the "Cloud People" by the Incas because of the cloud forests they inhabited in northern Peru, ruled the area from around 800 AD to around 1475, when they were conquered by the Incas.
GREAT WARRIORS
But their strong resistance to the Incas, who built an empire ranging from northern Ecuador to southern Chile from the 1400s until the Spanish conquest of the 1530s, earned them a reputation as great warriors.
They are best-known today by tourists for their stone citadel Kuelap, near the modern town of Chachapoyas.
In 1996, archeologists found six ancient burial houses containing several mummies, thought to belong to the Chachapoyas.
"The remote site for this cemetery tells us that the Chachapoyas had enormous respect for their ancestors because they hid them away for protection," Corbera said.
"Locals call the cave Iyacyecuj, or Enchanted Water in Quechua, because of its spiritual importance and its underground rivers," he added.
Corbera said the walls in the limestone cave near the mummies were covered with wall paintings of faces and warrior-like figures that may have been drawn to ward off intruders and evil spirits.
"The idea now is to turn this cave into a museum, but we've got a huge amount of research to do first and protecting the site is a big issue," Corbera said, adding that looters had already vandalized a small part of the cave in search of mummies or gold.
Archeologists have uncovered thousands of mummies in Peru in recent years, mostly from the Inca culture five centuries ago, including about 2,000 unearthed from under a shantytown near the capital Lima in 2002.
One of Peru's most famous mummies is "Juanita the Ice Maiden," a girl preserved in ice on a mountain.
By Robin Emmott
LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - Archeologists have uncovered a 600-year-old, large underground cemetery belonging to a Peruvian warrior culture, thought to be the first discovery of its kind, an official said on Thursday.
After a tip-off from a farmer in Peru's northern Amazon jungle, archeologists from Peru's National Culture Institute last week found the 820-feet-(250-meter)deep cave that was used for burial and worship by the Chachapoyas tribe.
So far archeologists have found five mummies, two of which are intact with skin and hair, as well as ceramics, textiles and wall paintings, the expedition's leader and regional cultural director Herman Corbera told Reuters.
"This is a discovery of transcendental importance. We have found these five mummies but I believe there could be many more," Corbera said. "We think this is the first time any kind of underground burial site this size has been found belonging to Chachapoyas or other cultures in the region," he added.
The Chachapoyas, a white-skinned tribe known as the "Cloud People" by the Incas because of the cloud forests they inhabited in northern Peru, ruled the area from around 800 AD to around 1475, when they were conquered by the Incas.
GREAT WARRIORS
But their strong resistance to the Incas, who built an empire ranging from northern Ecuador to southern Chile from the 1400s until the Spanish conquest of the 1530s, earned them a reputation as great warriors.
They are best-known today by tourists for their stone citadel Kuelap, near the modern town of Chachapoyas.
In 1996, archeologists found six ancient burial houses containing several mummies, thought to belong to the Chachapoyas.
"The remote site for this cemetery tells us that the Chachapoyas had enormous respect for their ancestors because they hid them away for protection," Corbera said.
"Locals call the cave Iyacyecuj, or Enchanted Water in Quechua, because of its spiritual importance and its underground rivers," he added.
Corbera said the walls in the limestone cave near the mummies were covered with wall paintings of faces and warrior-like figures that may have been drawn to ward off intruders and evil spirits.
"The idea now is to turn this cave into a museum, but we've got a huge amount of research to do first and protecting the site is a big issue," Corbera said, adding that looters had already vandalized a small part of the cave in search of mummies or gold.
Archeologists have uncovered thousands of mummies in Peru in recent years, mostly from the Inca culture five centuries ago, including about 2,000 unearthed from under a shantytown near the capital Lima in 2002.
One of Peru's most famous mummies is "Juanita the Ice Maiden," a girl preserved in ice on a mountain.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Mummified dogs uncovered in Peru
From BBC News, Lima
Archaeologists in Peru have uncovered the mummified remains of more than 40 dogs buried with blankets and food alongside their human masters.
The discovery was made during the excavation of two of the ancient Chiribaya people who lived in southern Peru between AD 900 and AD 1350.
Experts say the dogs' treatment in death indicated the belief that the animals had an afterlife.
Such a status for pets has only previously been seen in ancient Egypt.
Hundreds of years before the European conquest of South America, the Chiribaya civilisation valued its dogs so highly that when one died, it was buried alongside family members.
'Distinct breed'
The dogs, which have been called Chiribaya shepherds for their llama-herding abilities, were not sacrificed as in other ancient cultures, but buried with blankets and food in human cemeteries.
Biological archaeologists have unearthed the remains of more than 40 dogs which were naturally mummified in the desert sand of Peru's southern Ilo Valley. Now they have teamed up with Peru's Kennel Club to try to establish if the dogs represent a new distinct breed indigenous to South America.
The country is full of breeds which arrived in the last few centuries, but they believe some dogs living today in southern Peru share the characteristics of their ancestors.
The Chiribaya dog looked rather like a small golden retriever with a medium-sized snout, beige colouring, and long hair.
The only other indigenous Peruvian canine is the hairless dog, which evolved over more than 2,000 years ago from Asian ancestors brought across the Bering Straits.
It was recognised as a distinct breed just 20 years ago.
From BBC News, Lima
Archaeologists in Peru have uncovered the mummified remains of more than 40 dogs buried with blankets and food alongside their human masters.
The discovery was made during the excavation of two of the ancient Chiribaya people who lived in southern Peru between AD 900 and AD 1350.
Experts say the dogs' treatment in death indicated the belief that the animals had an afterlife.
Such a status for pets has only previously been seen in ancient Egypt.
Hundreds of years before the European conquest of South America, the Chiribaya civilisation valued its dogs so highly that when one died, it was buried alongside family members.
'Distinct breed'
The dogs, which have been called Chiribaya shepherds for their llama-herding abilities, were not sacrificed as in other ancient cultures, but buried with blankets and food in human cemeteries.
Biological archaeologists have unearthed the remains of more than 40 dogs which were naturally mummified in the desert sand of Peru's southern Ilo Valley. Now they have teamed up with Peru's Kennel Club to try to establish if the dogs represent a new distinct breed indigenous to South America.
The country is full of breeds which arrived in the last few centuries, but they believe some dogs living today in southern Peru share the characteristics of their ancestors.
The Chiribaya dog looked rather like a small golden retriever with a medium-sized snout, beige colouring, and long hair.
The only other indigenous Peruvian canine is the hairless dog, which evolved over more than 2,000 years ago from Asian ancestors brought across the Bering Straits.
It was recognised as a distinct breed just 20 years ago.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Lost Cities of the Ancients: site of mass human sacrifice discovered in Peru
From BBC
Archaeologists working in Northern Peru have discovered one of the biggest sites of human sacrifice in pre-Hispanic South America.
Archaeologists working at Tucume made the sensational discovery last summer and it is featured exclusively in a new series, Lost Cities of the Ancients, which begins on Monday 4 September on BBC TWO at 9.00pm.
The discovery of the bodies of 119 men, women and children as young as five was made outside a temple in Tucume, a ruined city of 26 pyramids near Chiclayo.
The pyramid city was an important centre for the Lambeyeque civilisation which flourished in northern Peru from 1100 AD.
"The discovery of these human sacrifices outside the temple is one of the most important discoveries in the history of Peruvian archaeology," said Alfredo Narvaez, the Chief Archaeologist at the site.
Narvaez believes that dozens of these victims were ritually sacrificed in just a few days in the final days of the city, in an attempt to ward off catastrophe.
Shortly after the mass sacrifice, the city of pyramids was burnt and abandoned. It was the last city of pyramids ever built in South America.
Investigation of the bodies revealed that most of the victims had their throats slit, their heads decapitated and then their hearts hacked out of their chests.
Physical anthropologist J Marla Toyne, from the University of Tulane, who examined the skeletons, said: "Of the 119 individuals we recovered from this small area, some 90 per cent of them show cut marks in the neck and throat region. These patterns are very consistent across the group, suggesting it was almost a systematic execution."
She found no evidence that the victims had fought to avoid this violent death, or that they had been tied up: "For example, the cut marks across the throat are clean marks; there's no evidence of chatter as the knife moved, as the individual moved to avoid this activity. Most of them had their hands by their sides, or gently crossing their bodies; nor was there any evidence of any ropes or ligatures."
Archaeologists at Tucume believe the victims had probably been drugged with a chemical taken from the Amalya seed. These seeds were found near to where the sacrifices were carried out.
The drug can produce paralysis of the body, but can leave the victim aware of what is happening. It suggests the victims were aware of the terrifying ritual that was about to happen to them, but were physically unable to put up any resistance to it.
The 119 bodies were excavated from a small grid, just ten by ten metres across.
There is evidence that this space outside the temple was used to sacrifice people over hundreds of years, but that the number of sacrifices increased towards the end of the city.
Archaeologists think that sacrifices were often carried out in response to catastrophes in the world, in an attempt to appease the angry gods.
Narvaez believes that the dramatic increase in numbers of sacrifices at Tucume was in response to the chaos and fear that was unleashed by the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Peru in 1532.
Alfredo Narvaez said: "Probably in a very few days, dozens of sacrifices were carried out simultaneously so that this state of crisis could in some way be controlled."
It failed to change the course of history. And the city of Tucume was burnt and abandoned, ending a tradition of pyramid-building that stretched back thousands of years.
Lost Cities of the Ancients begins on 4 September 2006 at 9.00pm on BBC TWO.
The Cursed Valley of Pyramids, which contains the finding of the sacrifice, is the second programme in the series, and is shown on Tuesday 5 September, also at 9.00pm on BBC TWO.
InkaNatura note: You can see more information about Tucme here
Tucume archaeological information
Tour programs
From BBC
Archaeologists working in Northern Peru have discovered one of the biggest sites of human sacrifice in pre-Hispanic South America.
Archaeologists working at Tucume made the sensational discovery last summer and it is featured exclusively in a new series, Lost Cities of the Ancients, which begins on Monday 4 September on BBC TWO at 9.00pm.
The discovery of the bodies of 119 men, women and children as young as five was made outside a temple in Tucume, a ruined city of 26 pyramids near Chiclayo.
The pyramid city was an important centre for the Lambeyeque civilisation which flourished in northern Peru from 1100 AD.
"The discovery of these human sacrifices outside the temple is one of the most important discoveries in the history of Peruvian archaeology," said Alfredo Narvaez, the Chief Archaeologist at the site.
Narvaez believes that dozens of these victims were ritually sacrificed in just a few days in the final days of the city, in an attempt to ward off catastrophe.
Shortly after the mass sacrifice, the city of pyramids was burnt and abandoned. It was the last city of pyramids ever built in South America.
Investigation of the bodies revealed that most of the victims had their throats slit, their heads decapitated and then their hearts hacked out of their chests.
Physical anthropologist J Marla Toyne, from the University of Tulane, who examined the skeletons, said: "Of the 119 individuals we recovered from this small area, some 90 per cent of them show cut marks in the neck and throat region. These patterns are very consistent across the group, suggesting it was almost a systematic execution."
She found no evidence that the victims had fought to avoid this violent death, or that they had been tied up: "For example, the cut marks across the throat are clean marks; there's no evidence of chatter as the knife moved, as the individual moved to avoid this activity. Most of them had their hands by their sides, or gently crossing their bodies; nor was there any evidence of any ropes or ligatures."
Archaeologists at Tucume believe the victims had probably been drugged with a chemical taken from the Amalya seed. These seeds were found near to where the sacrifices were carried out.
The drug can produce paralysis of the body, but can leave the victim aware of what is happening. It suggests the victims were aware of the terrifying ritual that was about to happen to them, but were physically unable to put up any resistance to it.
The 119 bodies were excavated from a small grid, just ten by ten metres across.
There is evidence that this space outside the temple was used to sacrifice people over hundreds of years, but that the number of sacrifices increased towards the end of the city.
Archaeologists think that sacrifices were often carried out in response to catastrophes in the world, in an attempt to appease the angry gods.
Narvaez believes that the dramatic increase in numbers of sacrifices at Tucume was in response to the chaos and fear that was unleashed by the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Peru in 1532.
Alfredo Narvaez said: "Probably in a very few days, dozens of sacrifices were carried out simultaneously so that this state of crisis could in some way be controlled."
It failed to change the course of history. And the city of Tucume was burnt and abandoned, ending a tradition of pyramid-building that stretched back thousands of years.
Lost Cities of the Ancients begins on 4 September 2006 at 9.00pm on BBC TWO.
The Cursed Valley of Pyramids, which contains the finding of the sacrifice, is the second programme in the series, and is shown on Tuesday 5 September, also at 9.00pm on BBC TWO.
InkaNatura note: You can see more information about Tucme here
Tucume archaeological information
Tour programs
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Looted Peru treasure found in UK
Information by BBC
An ancient Peruvian headdress which was looted from an archaeological site almost 20 years ago has been found by police in London.
It is considered a national treasure and disappeared in 1988 after a tomb in northern Peru was raided and its contents sold on the black market.
It was handed to a firm of solicitors in central London by one of
its clients who did not know it was stolen.
The headdress, depicting a sea god, dates back to 700AD.
It is an example of ancient Peruvian Mochica civilisation art and is regarded by experts as one of the most important artefacts in Peruvian cultural heritage.
Dr Walter Alva, director of the Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum in Peru, described the seizure as "a very important moment in the worldwide war against illicit art and the looting of my country.
We are speaking about an archaeological object [of] the utmost historical and aesthetic importance, which is one of the most important ornaments of the ancient Peruvian cultures," he added.
It was recovered by officers from Scotland Yard's Art and Antiquities Squad, who will now send it back to Peru.
No-one has been arrested and the investigation is now in the hands of the Peruvian authorities.
The investigation also drew on the expertise of Michel Van Rijn, an art dealer with extensive experience of hunting for illicit and stolen works of art.
He said: "It is impossible to put a price on a piece of history and world heritage such as this because they never come on the market, but should it do so, it could potentially reach in excess of £1m."
InkaNatura note: Travel to the North of Peru is an incredible experience for those with deep interest in ancient cultures. You can see more information here
Tour programs
Archaeological information
Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum
Information by BBC
An ancient Peruvian headdress which was looted from an archaeological site almost 20 years ago has been found by police in London.It is considered a national treasure and disappeared in 1988 after a tomb in northern Peru was raided and its contents sold on the black market.
It was handed to a firm of solicitors in central London by one of
its clients who did not know it was stolen.
The headdress, depicting a sea god, dates back to 700AD.
It is an example of ancient Peruvian Mochica civilisation art and is regarded by experts as one of the most important artefacts in Peruvian cultural heritage.
Dr Walter Alva, director of the Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum in Peru, described the seizure as "a very important moment in the worldwide war against illicit art and the looting of my country.
We are speaking about an archaeological object [of] the utmost historical and aesthetic importance, which is one of the most important ornaments of the ancient Peruvian cultures," he added.
It was recovered by officers from Scotland Yard's Art and Antiquities Squad, who will now send it back to Peru.
No-one has been arrested and the investigation is now in the hands of the Peruvian authorities.
The investigation also drew on the expertise of Michel Van Rijn, an art dealer with extensive experience of hunting for illicit and stolen works of art.
He said: "It is impossible to put a price on a piece of history and world heritage such as this because they never come on the market, but should it do so, it could potentially reach in excess of £1m."
InkaNatura note: Travel to the North of Peru is an incredible experience for those with deep interest in ancient cultures. You can see more information here
Tour programs
Archaeological information
Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Caral : The oldest city in the New World is located in Peru
Photo :: Special Project Arqueologico Caral - Supe ©
The ancient city of Caral located in the north of Lima, Supe Valley, is considered as the oldest city in the western Hemisphere. Radiocarbon dates show that monumental architecture there was under construction as early as 2627 BC and until about 2000 BC, in other words 4700 years old, contemporary with pyramids in Egypt and the ziggurats of Mesopotamia.
Other sites as old as Caral, do not approach the enormous size of Caral, (165 acres) and scope its architecture, The city has 6 large platforms mounds (pyramids), many small platforms, two sunken circular plazas and diverse architectural features including densely packed residences. (See map of location)
Interesting points :
- Peruvian archaeologist Ruth Shady thinks that Caral is a candidate to be the “mother city” in the Americas. This means that people moved from small family units to build cities of thousands of people.
- Archaeologists think that construction seems to be associated with the advent of irrigation agriculture in the Supe Valley.
- The ancient inhabitants of Caral expanded up river from the coast, developed agriculture (beans, sweet potatoes, chili, cotton, pacay and guayaba ) to support the growing population.
- Fish bones have been found and that revels that the civilization depended on fishing as well.
- Caral appears as the model for the urban design adopted by the Inca and the ancient pre Inca civilizations like Chavin, Moche, Lima, Wari, Chimu and others.
- Its strategic location allowed trade with other close valleys in the Coast and the Andes. The trade generates a dynamic economic process and savings making this city more powerful.
- In Caral there is not evidence of war: no weapons, not mutilated bodies.
- It had a theocratic government managed by priest and Scientifics who were in charged of the ceremonies, astronomical investigation and prepare calendars to organize the activities of the inhabitants.
- In one of the pyramids archaeologist found beautiful flutes made of condor and pelican bones.
- The constructions happened before ceramics and maize were introduced in the area.
Caral can be visited from Lima in a full day tour leaving early from Lima and returning late afternoon. InkaNatura can arrange visits to the area with professional tour guides or for those with a deep interest in archaeology we can offer archaeologist who will let you more about this interesting ancient city.
Links for more information :
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Mummy of Tattooed Woman Discovered in El Brujo
Photo - National Geographic ©
A well-preserved tattooed mummy of a young woman has been discovered deep inside a mud-brick pyramid in El Brujo by archaeologists under the direction of scientist Regulo Franco
The 1,500-year-old mummy may shed new light on the mysterious Moche culture. The incredible mix of ornamental and military artifacts has experts speculating about this woman’s identity and her role in the Moche society.
For more information you can read the full article at national geographic.
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0606/feature2/index.html
Information additional in InkaNatura Website.
The Brujo Archaeological Complex
The Brujo and Trujillo Tours
Ancient Calendar Unearthed in Peru
The Temple of the Fox (located in the hills Buena Vista in the Chillon Valley - north of Lima, peru) was unearthed in June 2004 by Robert Benfer, professor emeritus of anthropology at Missouri University.
Aside from astronomic alignments, Benfer said his team also found ancient artwork on the 16-acre site, including a mural of a fox carved inside a painted llama. Radiocarbon dating of offerings in the temple's chambers suggest a date of around 2200 BCE
More information at:
The Temple of the Fox (located in the hills Buena Vista in the Chillon Valley - north of Lima, peru) was unearthed in June 2004 by Robert Benfer, professor emeritus of anthropology at Missouri University.
Photos by National Geographic ©
Here Benfer’s team found the earliest known astronomical alignment and sculptures in the New World, suggesting that the Andeans used constellations to guide their lives and predict weather such as droughts and floods. It is considered as the oldest known observatory in the Americas and it was well-preserved because rainfall on the western side of Peru are not hard.Aside from astronomic alignments, Benfer said his team also found ancient artwork on the 16-acre site, including a mural of a fox carved inside a painted llama. Radiocarbon dating of offerings in the temple's chambers suggest a date of around 2200 BCE
More information at:
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Gocta waterfall
The 14 tallest waterfall is located in Chachapoyas in the Northern part of Peru.
This waterfall has been known by locals for decades, but only recently has its existence emerged as common knowledge. (See map)
The 14 tallest waterfall is located in Chachapoyas in the Northern part of Peru.
This waterfall has been known by locals for decades, but only recently has its existence emerged as common knowledge. (See map)The German Stefan Ziemendorff is thought to be responsible for bringing the falls to the attention of the Peruvian government in 2002, he was working in Peru for a water project and he realized from far in a expedition that something was there since then he participated in documenting, constructing a trail to and measuring the falls. The falls appear to exhibit a modest to high volume of flow, becoming an immensely powerful cataract when its stream is full. According the list of waterfalls released by a Waterfall database, Gocta is the 14 tallest waterfall in the world. Some weeks ago Gocta was announced as the third tallest but this is wrong.
To reach this waterfall the only way is walking 5 hrs by virgin jungle departing from the village of Cocachimba, through the trek its possible to see another amazing waterfalls, toucans, hummingbirds, monkeys and much more. Although there are some explorer or adventure lovers visiting Gocta but there is not yet tourist circuits or paths at the moment.
Then a question appears, which is the third tallest waterfall? Its name is Las Tres Hermanas (The three sisters) and is also located in Cutiverini reserved zone in Ayacucho, Peru.
For those interested in visit Gocta, InkaNatura recommends spend extra days visiting the Chachapoyas archaeological jewels: Kuelap fortress, Karajia, Revash, Lake of the Condors, and the interesting Leymebamba Museum where visitors can admire more than 200 chachapoyas mummy found at the Lake of the Condors.
More information :
The tallest waterfalls
Kuelap
Chachapoyas tours
Monday, June 05, 2006
A 1600-year-old royal mummy was found in the North part of Peru.
Archaeologists in Peru have discovered a 15-century-old mummy of a tattooed Moche woman in a Pyramid called Cao Viejo in ceremonial site called El brujo ( The Wizard) , located about an hour's drive north of Trujillo city and 300 miles north of Lima. (See map)
http://www.inkanatura.com/mapnorth.asp
The mummy, which dates to about A.D. 450, was entombed with a dazzling collection of weapons and jewelry. Without doubt this lady was member of royalty and revels the power of this woman in the Moche society. No other Moche woman like her has ever been found. "Based on our preliminary study, we think she was a ruler," says archaeologist Régulo Franco.
Photos by National Geographic ©
She was about 5 feet tall and died in her late 20’s. Apparently she was in good health with no signs of nutritional deficiencies, Although she had one tooth that would have become abscessed if she had lived longer. Her abdominal skin was wrinkled and collapsed, and bone scarring indicated the woman had given birth at least once.
The Moche is a fascinating sophisticated pre Inca culture that flourished from 100 to AD along the different valleys of the Northern Peruvian coastline. Some information about the Moches :
The Moche is a fascinating sophisticated pre Inca culture that flourished from 100 to AD along the different valleys of the Northern Peruvian coastline. Some information about the Moches :
- They had a theocratic government system.
- They were expert architects. They built several huge pyramids of sun-dried adobe bricks. We can count Sipan Pyramids, Sun and Moon temples, Dos Cabezas and El Brujo among others.
- They diverted rivers into a network of irrigation canals for agricultural purposes.
- Its pottery is fascinating and helps us to learn about them. The pottery represents the daily life of the Moches, fishing, ceremonies, mythology and different combats. In the Larco Herrera Museum (Lima) there are special areas with thousands of ceramics including sexual acts.
- They were experts in metallurgical techniques. They used silver cooper and gold. We can admire their work in the Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum in Chiclayo.
http://www.inkanatura.com/coastchiclayotrujillo_royaltombs_of_sipanmuseum.asp
Tourists and archaeology lovers visit Chiclayo and Trujillo to learn more about the ancient Peruvian cultures. Here you can find some tours in the North
http://www.inkanatura.com/tourprograms.asp
More information about the Tattooed mummy at
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/05/mummy-peru.html
http://www.livescience.com/history/060516_peru_mummy.html
Friday, June 02, 2006
Manu, The most intense wildlife experience the Peruvian AmazonThere is no doubt that Manu is the superlative of biodiversity thanks to a great variety of habitats that includes Andean grasslands, elfin forest, cloud forest and jungle lowlands. Nature-lovers and wildlife enthusiasts can find more species of plants than any other part of the world. And when we talk about wildlife, we can count 13 species of monkeys (including the charm Emperor Tamarin), Giant armadillo, Giant anteater and endangered predators like the Jaguar, Giant Otter and the Black Caiman.
Recently, InkaNatura has designed new programs that include accommodations in its comfortable tented camps located inside the Manu National Park, close to the famous Lakes Salvador and Otorongo.
In order to offer a reliable and secure air service, InkaNatura is pleased to have made an agreement with Pisco Airlines to offer flights between Cusco and Boca Manu. We now guarantee departures, using a modern Cessna Gran Caravan (12 seats) with experienced and high quality trained pilots. This 2005 plane has the latest technology for safe air transportation. Some Manu tour operators recommend traveling through Puerto Maldonado, but they do not mention that clients will spend more than 11 hours sitting in uncomfortable fast boats/buses and, in addition, this route does not have clean and decent bathrooms.
More information:
- Manu Wildlife Center - Tours Programs
- Bio trip, from the Andes to the Amazon (All Manu area)
- Manu National Park with our exclusive Tented Camps
- Cock-of-the-Rock-Lodge - Tour Programs (Cloud Forest)
- Manu Map
More info about News in May 2006
http://www.inkanatura.com/news/2006/mayo/index.htm
Birdwatching in PeruPeru is one of the top countries for birdwatchers and nature lovers. Here some important facts about birds in Peru.
Did you know that:
- Peru has the second highest number of bird species in the world? Counting only breeding species, Peru ranks first.
- More new species were described in Peru in the last 30 years than in any other country in the world, with about 1 new species on average.
You can find more information about our programs at:
http://www.inkanatura.com/birdingtours.asp
More info about News in Febreruary 2005
http://www.inkanatura.com/news/2005/February/index.htm
Thursday, June 01, 2006
National Geographic Explores the North Cost of Peru again
The North coast of Peru features spectacular contrast between fertile valleys and stark deserts, all wedged in a thin strip between the cold waters of the world's richest fishing grounds and the highest tropical mountain.
This region boasts a rich archeological legacy of Pre-Inca civilizations that occupied these valleys from the First to the Fourteenth century AD. The most prominent of these were the Moche, Lambayeque and Chimu, who demonstrated great sophistication in ceramics, agriculture, and metallurgy.
Check this links:
Chiclayo and Trujillo tours
Archaeological study tour in Chachapoyas
Archaeological information
Photo gallery
About InkaNatura Travel
More info about News in 2004 May
http://www.inkanatura.com/news/2004/june/index.htm
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