Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
Lifestyle
Asharq Al-Awsat

Gas Pipe Workers Find 800-Year-Old Bodies in Peru

A handout picture released by Peruvian gas company Calidda, shows objects, food, artifacts and ancient funeral bundles containing the remains of eight people unearthed by workers. Jesus BAHAMONDE Calidda/AFP

Peruvian workers laying gas pipes found the remains of eight people buried in a common tomb with food and musical instruments some 800 years ago, an archaeologist said Wednesday.

The bodies of adults and children had been wrapped in plant material, with corn, dishes, and a variety of wind instruments, including flutes, placed around them, Cecilia Camargo, an archaeologist hired by the Calidda gas company whose workers made the discovery, told AFP.

The eight had lived in the ancient town of Chilca some 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of Lima.

Some had been buried with shells on their heads, and had bags in which coca leaves, traditionally chewed as a stimulant, are kept.

"It is an important find that gives us more information about the pre-Hispanic history of Chilca," said the researcher.

Workers of the same company found another 30 ancient bodies in Chilca in 2018.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.