hen we hear the word mummy we think of Egypt or somewhere around that area as this is the most primordial culture to perform mummification. However, it so happens that this process would sometimes take place involuntarily, as there have been some cases. One really interesting case is a mummy that has been recently discovered in South America, Peru.
Another great discovery
On the 27th of November 2021, a team of experts from the National University of San Marcos in the Lima region of Peru identified a very interesting mummy. The underground chamber in which the mummy was found does not seem to be a burial ground as you would see with other mummies, but rather a forceful burial.
The mummy seems to be tied with ropes all around as if it was taken, hostage. Another rope can be identified tied to the hand of the mummy whilst also having a face cover. Based on the radiocarbon analysis, this mummy seems to be around 800 years old, meaning that this person is from the Andean civilization.
According to expert Van Dalen Luna from the State University of San Marcos, this was the normal funeral ritual for people that were part of the Andean civilization. If we look at the Inca Empire which was part of the Andean civilization, they were the ones known fur mummifying the dead and placing them in a fetal position whilst being wrapped in layers of cloth.
Inca Empire has ruled the western portion of South America from 1438 to 1533. They have been known to follow in the footsteps of the Aztec civilization with similar traditions and rituals such as mummification.
The idea through this ritual was to create a link between the living and the gods. In some cases, the mummies would be taken from their resting place and consulted in dire times. The mummies would be even involved in important ceremonies such as marriage or even long journeys.
Within the resting chamber of the mummy, the experts also uncovered various ceramics, vegetable remains, and even stone tools. It was a courtesy to make offers from time to time within the Inca culture. This would show a sign of homage to the mummy in the hopes that they would bring good fortune to the loved ones.
Taking into consideration the rituals within the culture, it would not be a surprise to find more mummies within South America. Experts from the university are doing more analysis to find out the gender of the mummy as well as a more precise story about its death. Despite its age and the environment in which it had been resting for so many years, the mummy is in quite a good condition.
In a way, it seems wrong to remove the mummy from its resting place, but there is no other way to analyze it. However, taking into consideration that these are the ancestors of these experts, it seems more ethically right. After all the analysis is done, the mummy may be displayed in a museum for everyone.
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