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PERU-ARCHAEOLOGY
Archaeologists discover Incan tomb in Peru
LIMA, Feb 16, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Peruvian archaeologists discovered an Incan
tomb in the north of the country where an elite member of the pre-Columbian
empire was buried, one of the investigators announced Friday.
The discovery was made on the Mata Indio dig site in the northern
Lambayeque region, archaeologist Luis Chero told state news agency Andina.
Archaeologists believe the tomb belonged to a noble Inca based on the
presence of “spondylus,” a type of sea shell always present in the graves of
important figures from the Incan period, which lasted from the 12th to the
16th centuries.
The tomb had been broken into multiple times, possibly in search of
treasure. But despite evidence of looting, archaeologists recovered items
including vases.
The tomb also had unique architecture including hollows for the placement
of idols.
Chero said the findings “demonstrate the majesty and importance of this
site,” located 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) north of the capital Lima, and
2,000 kilometers from Cusco — capital of the Inca empire which stretched
from southern Colombia to central Chile.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1009 hrs