A 3,000-year-old mummy offered as a human sacrifice was found by students in Lima, Peru last week, according to The Daily Wire. Students from San Marcos University first discovered a cotton bundle that held the hair and skull of the person before digging up the remainder of the body.
The mummy, wrapped in vegetable fiber and cotton, was reportedly a male and archeologist Michael Aguilar said that he was believed to be part of the Manchay culture, which dates back to 1500 and 1000 BC. The culture is reportedly defined by its “U-shaped temples,” which face toward sunrise and are made up of three mounds, a main pyramid, and two arms which encompass a large rectangular plaza. Aguilar stated that the person was a human sacrifice during the last construction phase of the temple.
The students were digging at what was a landfill and had to remove eight tons of trash before their research could begin, according to BBC. The mummy was also found with several other materials thought to be part of the sacrifice, such as seeds, corn, and coca, the main ingredient in cocaine. Coca is popular in Peruvian culture and has been used for thousands of years in rituals and sacrifices.
Mummification, which began more than 7,000 years ago, was practiced among many peoples throughout Peru. They were sometimes brought into people’s homes or to festivals as a way to honor and remain connected with the dead. The first people to practice mummification were the Chinchorro people. They now live in Peru and Chile.
The mummies made by the Chinchorro were painted either black or grey and then given a wig. A mask made from unbaked clay was also added but rarely survived because of its fragility. Everyday necessities were also placed with the mummy, such as food and pottery.
