Shocking Discovery: Mysterious Pre-Inca Mummy Found Bound with Ropes and Hands Covering Her Face

August 4, 2024

Archaeologists excavating the Cajamarquilla archaeological site in Peru have discovered a fascinating and mysterious mummy estimated to be between 1,200 and 800 years old. The mummy, found in an underground tomb 25 kilometers from Lima, was completely tied with ropes and with its hands covering its face, a characteristic feature of local funerary practices of the time.

Mysterious pre-Inca mummy found tied with ropes and with its hands covering its face

Archaeologists in Peru have unearthed a strange mummy completely tied and with its hands covering its face.

The excavation team, led by Professor Pieter Van Dalen Luna of California State University, San Marcos, discovered the mummy along with several funerary offerings, including stone tools, ceramic vessels containing traces of plant matter, and the remains of a dog and a guinea pig. Additionally, mollusk shells and llama bones were found near the tomb entrance, suggesting that the site was visited by mourners bringing offerings of food.

Mysterious pre-Inca mummy found tied with ropes and with its hands covering its face

According to the team, the mummy dates back to 1,200-800 years ago and belonged to a pre-Inca civilization in Peru.

The mummy, believed to be a young man between 18 and 22 years old, was found partially on its side against a pile of rocks and the wall of the burial chamber. The discovery in Cajamarquilla highlights the area’s historical importance as a multi-ethnic center of pre-Inca civilization, which thrived along the Peruvian coast and mountains before the rise of the Inca Empire. The exact chronology of the mummy will be further clarified through radiocarbon dating.

Mysterious pre-Inca mummy found tied with ropes and with its hands covering its face The main feature of the mummy is that his body was tied with ropes and his hands covered his face,” said senior archaeologist Pieter Van Dalen Luna of California State University, San Marcos.

Peru is famous for its rich archaeological heritage, with numerous sites that reflect the diverse cultures that developed before and after the Inca Empire. The Inca civilization, which emerged in the early 13th century in the highlands of Peru, eventually spread its influence across southern Ecuador, Colombia, and central Chile before falling to the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century.