Andina

Experts rebuild face of ancient Moche 'Lady of Cao'

LIMA,PERÚ-JULIO 04. Presentación del "Rostro de la Señora de Cao" encabezado por el ministro de Cultura Salvador del Solar y el ministro de Comercio Exterior y Turismo Eduardo Ferreyros.Foto:ANDINA/Oscar Farje Gomero.

LIMA,PERÚ-JULIO 04. Presentación del "Rostro de la Señora de Cao" encabezado por el ministro de Cultura Salvador del Solar y el ministro de Comercio Exterior y Turismo Eduardo Ferreyros.Foto:ANDINA/Oscar Farje Gomero.

14:38 | Lima, Jul. 4.

A team of experts revealed the real face of Lady of Cao, a female Moche mummy who ruled northern Chicama Valley —near Trujillo city— about 1700 years ago.


The Señora de Cao or Lady of Cao is believed to be one of the most powerful women in pre-Hispanic Peru.

The real face and replica of the mummy were unveiled in a ceremony led by Peru's Culture Minister Salvador del Solar and his Foreign Trade and Tourism peer Eduardo Ferreyros.


The 3D reconstruction of her face was carried out by Wiese Foundation and El Brujo archaeological site, in partnership with Faro Technologies, 3D Systems, Grupo Abstract and ARQ 3D.

Del Solar stressed the importance of the act, referring to it as a remarkable event.


The reconstruction was possible thanks to the tireless work of El Brujo archaeologists over the past 10 months.

"Showing the face of this 1.5-meter woman —who is just as important as Lord of Sipan— to Peruvians and to the entire world is quite an honor and great news," he noted.

Peru has created an exact replica of the mummy and used high accuracy 3D laser technology to document Huaca Cao Viejo — monument that held Lady of Cao's remains until 2005, when her tomb was discovered in Ascope Province (La Libertad region).

Since then, the mummy has been housed at Cao Museum in Magdalena de Cao district.

"The Lady of Cao discovery showed the political and religious role of females in the rich culture of northern Peru, while the current event presents a combination between the future and past [...]," the Culture head stated.


(END) MAO/RMB/MVB

Published: 7/4/2017