Ancient tomb discovery challenges understanding of Peru’s Chimú culture
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Archaeologists in Peru unearthed a 600-year-old pre-Inca tomb at Chan Chan, a large city once the capital of the Chimú civilization. The discovery includes the remains of at least 38 people, found within a funerary platform containing a central chamber and side rooms.
Researchers from the Proyecto Especial Complejo Arqueológico Chan Chan made the find at Utzh An, a walled complex within Chan Chan, near Trujillo.
The Peruvian Ministry of Culture called the structure remarkably well-preserved, a rare occurrence given past looting at the site. Within the central chamber, archaeologists found one individual buried in an unusual way for the Chimú culture, fully extended, rather than in a flexed or seated position. Chimú burials typically show the deceased with their body bent or seated with legs folded. The side chambers held weapons, metal emblems, and the remains of 20 other individuals.
The team also recovered around 200 ceramic vases and objects suggesting contact between the Chimú people and the Inca civilization, which conquered them in the 15th century. The undisturbed nature of the tomb, its contents remaining in their original context, offers a rare opportunity to study Chimú burial practices and social structure. Researchers plan to analyze the remains and artifacts to learn more about the individuals buried there and the ceremonies surrounding their deaths.
